Android phones can now tell you if there’s an AirTag following you

This will be built-in Google Play for all Android 6+, no need for external app

There's an official apple version on Google Play too just search for com.apple.trackerdetect

I would assume so. It's a difficult thing, because I'm really not okay with people covertly tracking others with airtags without their consent, but the it can of course also be used to track stolen items or so.

Yeah, they aren't really useful for anti theft, but that's the compromise you have to make for safety

Yes, but that already used to happen before if the thieve had an iPhone.

Yes it will, after some amount of time.

I think the solution to this problem is embedding the tag into the frame in such a way that removing it would be destructive or at least highly impractical. That's my plan at least. Waiting for my Chipolo trackers to arrive.

They're not anti theft devices. Never were. They are anti losing my shit devices.

Slap one on your keys, wallet, etc, and when you lose them, you can track them to see where they ended up falling out of your pocket.

If you want a tracking device, pay for one. They'll use a SIM card, be undetectable, and track perfectly without needing a network of phones.

I believe the tracker doesn't emit the same signal when the phone the AirTag is paired with are communicating directly. So as long as the owner of the airtag is in the vicinity it will not be considered as following/stalking you.

It can tell because the random guy's Airtag will be connected to his iPhone, it will only notify people if it isn't close to the owner's device

I'm pretty sure it's length of time. If you're on a train next to someone, you won't be for more than an hour or two. Not two days.

When the device follows you constantly for multiple days is likely when it'll make the alert.

i guess this:

> For now, if an AirTag you don't own "is separated from its owner and determined to be traveling with you," a notification will tell you this and that "the owner of the tracker can see its location."

It only notifies you if the air tag is without ite owner. If this wasn't the case I'd be getting notifications left and right for my wife's airtag. Instead I only get notifications when her phone is left behind but her tag is with me.

When I visit family via train, google knows I was on a train ( maps timeline ), so maybe they can tell by how straight the travel is ?

They're coming as part of the new Find My Device network. The launch has been delayed until Apple releases their portion of the joint anti-tracking effort.

see last paragraph on Google blog post on this topic

I have a Tile Tag and it's not bad. I keep them on my keychain, in the car, and when traveling. They aren't as predominant as Air Tags yet, but they work.

I seriously suspect that Google will eventually acquire the Tile brand so they can absorb the patents without having to start from scratch.

Aren't there a number of small gps trackers on the market that are compatible with Android? Tile and Chipolo to name a couple.

From the article:

Now Android users will soon get these "Unknown Tracker Alerts."

Emphasis mine.

Pixel 7 Pro running 14 beta, don't see it either.

the alerts currently work only with AirTags, but Google says it will work with tag manufacturers to expand its coverage.

Google and Apple built the specification, but other tracker makers needs to adopt it.

Stalkers don't give a shit. It's not like they're thinking rationally anyway. There's quite a few non-tag options out there but you need a subscription that's attached to the device's unique ID. You can regulate and put in a million ways to prevent stalking but they will always find a way.

And they'll have to do it without a network of billions of phones helping them.

I mean they are currently /ok/ but since it's only samsung devices it bounces off instead of every android device it doesn't have the versatility that the Apple airtags have (where it bounces off any apple device and any android device with the app), so if it's between one of the other I would go with air tag since you can still use them on android (with a secondary app) but as always YMMV since it's made for Apple devices

that being said, might be changing with googles support for trackers!

No it hasn't.

Before, you had to install an app. This is a play store services update, which neans ALL android phones will be able to do it by default.

Integration into play services so almost all Android devices do it by default without needing to install an app hasn't.