In the month of May, both Google and Apple made the announcement that they were going to work together to stop intrusive monitoring using AirTags and other devices of a similar kind. Google has just announced that the distribution of unknown tracker notifications has begun for smartphones running Android 6.0 and newer versions. This announcement was made today. This security is now only available for AirTags, but Google has said that it is collaborating with tag makers to eventually make it available for other tracking tags as well.
This is how the process goes. You will be informed on your Android smartphone in the event that an unknown Bluetooth tracker becomes separated from its owner and it is confirmed that you are traveling with the tracker. If you touch the notice, you will be able to read further information about the tracker as well as a map that displays the locations where it was observed traveling with you. You may also have the tracker produce a noise by selecting the “play sound” option, which will allow you to find it without the owner of the tracker being aware of your search. When you move the tracker close to the back of your phone, it may reveal its serial number as well as other information about its owner, such as the last four digits of their phone number.
You may also learn how to totally deactivate the tracker, which would prevent the owner of the tracker from getting any more location information from it in the future. By using AirTags and trackers that are similar to AirTags, all of this is intended to put a stop to stalking, and it seems to be a very positive move in the right way. You may examine your environment for trackers at any time without having to wait for a warning thanks to another function that Google developed called manual scan.
On an Android smartphone, you may manually search by going to Settings > Safety & emergencies > Unknown tracker alerts and tapping the Scan now button. This will take you to the appropriate screen. The scan should take no more than ten seconds.
Last but not least, Google has stated that it would delay the implementation of its Find My Device network until such time as Apple includes equivalent security measures in iOS. According to the corporation, the joint unwanted tracker alert definition ought to be finished by the end of this year; following that, the Find My Device network would be made live and operational.
Information security specialist, currently working as risk infrastructure specialist & investigator.
15 years of experience in risk and control process, security audit support, business continuity design and support, workgroup management and information security standards.