AirTags popularized Bluetooth trackers last year, but while Apple isn't the first firm to create such a gadget, its ability to harness its enormous Find My network provides it a significant advantage over competitors. AirTags can interact with adjacent iPhones to transmit their position back to their owners, forming a massive network that allows them to be astonishingly precise, particularly in countries where Apple has a large user base. Android currently lacks system-level tracker support, but recent evidence implies that we may soon see barebones native scanning capabilities.
The most recent Google Play Services (22.12.13) update has a few additional lines discovered by the 9to5Google team that reference efforts toward this aim, including mention of "unfamiliar device notifications" (for detecting unknown tags that are following you). When completed, this feature may appear in Google's Safety & emergencies panel in Settings.
The software also mentions three kinds of tags: "ATag" (probably short for AirTag), "Tile tag," and "Finder tag."
Once published, this functionality will function as a scanner, similar to an app recently released by Apple on Android to scan for nearby AirTags – it will inform you if it detects any unexpected and potentially harmful tags nearby, allowing you to be aware and discard/disable them. We're hoping, though, that Google is aiming to add more tag capability to Android, and that this is only a small portion of that. Tag support on Android is currently patchy - Samsung SmartTags require the SmartThings app to be monitored, while Tile devices require the Tile app.
We may learn more about this feature as we approach Google I/O 2022, which is scheduled for May 11th and 12th.
Mishaal Rahman has updated his Twitter with additional pictures of how the functionality will appear, revealing a little more about what this new "Unfamiliar device notifications" feature would be all about.
According to the writing at the bottom, it will search for nearby Bluetooth devices and inform you if it finds gadgets that are moving with you, such as a rogue AirTag used to track you.
It's a terrific first step toward Android tracker identification, and this one in particular will be extremely valuable in cracking down on stalkers who employ tracker tags to keep tabs on victims. However, we hope that it is followed by proper Android tag compatibility.
