Apple and Google announce Android and iOS users will get alters when they are being tracked

Apple and Google announced they are teaming up to prevent users of both iOS and Android devices from being unwantedly tracked.

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The two companies announced a new industry specification called "Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers" for Bluetooth tracking devices. This new specification will make it possible to alert iOS and Android users when one of their devices is being tracked, which is an effort by the companies to mitigate the misuse of devices such as Apple AirTag's being used nefariously. The new capability will be rolled out to iOS devices as part of Apple's iOS 17.5 update, and Google will launch the same feature on Android 6.0+ devices.

As for what iOS and Android users can expect to see when they are being unknowingly tracked, the newsroom post on Apple's website states, "users will now get an"[Item] Found Moving With You"alert on their device if an unknown Bluetooth tracking device is seen moving with them over time, regardless of the platform the device is paired with."

If a user receives one of these alerts, it will mean that an AirTag, Find My accessory or other Bluetooth-compatible tracker has been moving with the user for a long period of time.

"It's possible the tracker is attached to an item the user is borrowing, but if not, iPhone can view the tracker's identifier, have the tracker play a sound to help locate it, and access instructions to disable it. Bluetooth tag manufacturers including Chipolo, eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee have committed that future tags will be compatible," reads the post