Until now, Android smartphone users had no way of knowing if an AirTag was tracking them without their knowledge. Apple, manufacturer of the tracker, has finally launched a detection application for Android.
The AirTag makes it possible to find a lost object, but the tracker can also be particularly zealous in following a person without his knowledge. Shortly after the product’s launch this spring, privacy advocates rose up, worried about the abuses that the Bluetooth beacon could cause.
The user must be proactive
Apple has provided an alert system when an AirTag (or any other object connected to the manufacturer’s Locate network) travels with a person without them being aware. However, this only affected iPhone owners, until now.
A new application, Tracker Detect, has indeed recently been available on the Play Store for Android smartphones. Apple had also announced it a few months ago. As promised, the app can detect a nearby tracker, whether it’s an AirTag or a product compatible with Find My.
Tracker Detect also provides information on how to disconnect an AirTag (by removing its battery), as well as data on the location beacon. It’s better than nothing, but it’s up to the user to launch the app and then activate the tracker search. In other words, you have to be proactive and suspect that someone is likely to follow you.
