iOS 14.5 beta reveals ‘anti-stalking’ AirTags feature to stop people from tracking you

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iOS 14.v beta reveals 'anti-stalking' AirTags feature to terminate people from tracking y'all

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Apple AirTags are set up to be useful accessories for tracking down lost items, simply what's to terminate that characteristic beingness used against you? Apple's born anti-stalker features, that'southward what.

The iOS 14.5 beta contains new references to AirTags, simply iOS developer Benjamin Mayo has discovered a subconscious feature that should prevent anyone from exploiting AirTags' tracking capabilities to keep tabs on yous.

• Everything we know virtually Apple AirTags
• This is the best central finder y'all can by right now
• Plus: Everything that's new in iOS 14.5

AirTags aren't expected to feature GPS tracking, but everything we've heard says they can use ultra-wideband signals to ping passing iPhones. That gives the owner a rough idea on where a specific AirTag is located, letting them rail it down for themselves.

Obviously, this could be exploited. If someone were to slip an AirTag onto your person, it could continually ping passing iPhones (possibly even your own) and let someone spy on your whereabouts whenever they feel similar it. Fortunately. Apple has already anticipated this with a safety feature.

The setting is on past default which makes sense, but the fact you can plough information technology off at all probably means that this fires false positive alerts in some circumstances.March 4, 2021

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Information technology looks like iOS 14.5 will be able to notice when unknown AirTags are hanging around, and warn you lot most information technology. Those safety features appear to be on by default, but you practise seem to have the option to turn them off. Why would you? Only you lot can answer that. Merely as Mayo points out, the fact that the feature tin can be turned off suggests that Apple tree may have experienced some issues with false positives.

Say, for example, you're out walking with a friend who has an AirTag in their wallet. Your iPhone may pick that up and get suspicious. Fifty-fifty though it's not, considering your friend simply happens to be using it to keep tabs on their ain possessions.

Of form, nosotros're merely speculating about the ins and outs of the system because AirTags oasis't actually launched nevertheless. Things could change past the time we go a public release of iOS xiv.5, or nosotros could find the AirTag system is robust plenty that false positives are a very rare occurrence.

Nosotros're just going to have to wait and run across what happens when Apple finally unveils AirTags to the world. The company is rumored to have an Apple Spring 2021 outcome coming later this month, and we're hoping that will be the AirTags' time to shine.

Tom is the Tom's Guide'due south Automotive Editor, which means he tin can usually exist plant knee deep in stats the latest and best electric cars, or checking out some sort of driving gadget. It's long style from his days equally editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He's usually establish trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining that Ikea won't let him purchase the stuff he really needs online.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/ios-145-beta-reveals-anti-stalking-airtags-feature-to-stop-people-from-tracking-you

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