While Bluetooth trackers save the day for many, they also cause concern for many others. Google is considering integrating a tracker detector directly into Android.
A small revolution for some, these connected objects were a great success last year with the release of AirTags and SmartTags. Attached to the keys, slipped into a bag or attached to a bicycle, the Bluetooth tracker makes it possible to locate any object, even several thousand kilometers away. No more cold sweats when the wallet has suddenly disappeared: all you have to do is locate it using your smartphone.
While the intentions of this tag are laudable, many have expressed concern about the fraudulent use that could be made of it. In response to criticism, Apple even released an Android application at the end of 2021 to detect its AirTags; the latter were previously locatable only through an iPhone.
Recently, it is Google which counterattacks. According to the 9to5Google site, the Californian firm has been considering, since mid-March, the integration of a Bluetooth tracker detector directly to Android. This feature would be available through Google Play Services.
AirTags, Tiles and Finger Tags would be in the line of fire, although we don’t know what these refer to.
In fact, as soon as one of these tags is detected, the phone sends a notification, such as “unknown tracker detected”. It would even be possible to ring the beacon to get your hands on it.
This feature is obviously in the development phase. We are not in a position to know how it works: will it be necessary to launch a scan manually or will the application take care of detecting the surrounding beacons independently? To answer these questions, it is therefore necessary to follow the evolution of the project. Digital is on the way…