Although they compete in certain areas, both companies have joined forces to lead the creation of a standard system that protects the privacy and security of people. But this time, it’s not so much in the virtual world, but in the physical field. And what are the reasons for this initiative? One of them, the AirTag. So if you want to know better what it is about, we will explain it to you in this post.
When unwanted tracking moves to the physical plane
AirTags are accessories that generated a mixture of fear and controversy at the beginning, since there was concern that they could be used to follow people in an unauthorized way. However, Apple already gave explanations on how they have prevented this. One of the main ingredients for making AirTags secure is Apple’s proprietary Search network.
However, what about other manufacturers? What happens to the object detectors and trackers using Bluetooth And are they compatible with iPhone and Android? Where is the privacy and security to avoid being tracked in an unwanted way? Is there a standard by which there is a defined security protocol? In all these issues (and many more) is where the alliance between Apple and Google comes into play.
As they explain from the company itself, it is “a Joint industry specification proposal to combat the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices for unwanted tracking. This is the first specification of its kind and will enable Bluetooth tracking devices to support rogue tracking detection and alerts on iOS and Android.”
The operation of AirTags, in the case of unwanted tracking, is very simple. If our iPhone or Android detects one of them near us, and it is not linked to any Apple ID we own, an alert will immediately appear on our phone, allowing us to stop tracking.
Bluetooth technology and other manufacturers and operating systems enter the equation
This initiative is not going to be just a matter of Apple and Google. Both companies will be the ones leading the project. Nevertheless, other firms such as Tile or Samsung are also part of all this. And through where and how has this new standard system been launched? (Or what it is intended to be in not a long time). From Apple they explain the following:
“The specification has been submitted as a draft to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a leading standards development organization. Various stakeholders are invited to review and provide input on the content in the next three months. After this period, Apple and Google jointly review feedback and launch a production deployment of the specification to display tracking spam alerts by the end of 2023which will be compatible with future versions of iOS and Android.»
