Apple’s Tracker Detect Android App Launched to Help Users Detect Unknown AirTags Around Them

Apple launched its first-ever object tracker Apple AirTag earlier this year. Right after the launch, a lot of people expressed privacy concerns regarding the product, since it could be used to stalk people and even rob them of their belongings. In response to these privacy concerns, Apple introduced the “AirTag Found Moving With You” feature with the iOS 14.5, but it was exclusively available for Apple products and there was no way for Android users to know if they are being stalked using an AirTag. Now, in a new development, Apple has released a new Tracker Detect app on Play Store for Android users. With this new app, Android users will also get to know if they are being followed by an unknown AirTag.

The Tracker Detect app looks for AirTags that are separated from their owners. Apple says that the app can detect not just AirTags, but also compatible devices from other companies. In case you find an unknown AirTag around you, the Tracker Detect app will guide you through the process of removing its battery to disable it. If an unknown AirTag around you is marked as lost by its owner, you can tap your NFC-enabled smartphone on it to get the owner’s contact details.

A spokesperson from Apple told CNET:

AirTag provides industry-leading privacy and security features and today we are extending new capabilities to Android devices.

Tracker Detect gives Android users the ability to scan for an AirTag or supported Find My enabled item trackers that might be traveling with them without their knowledge. We are raising the bar on privacy for our users and the industry, and hope others will follow.

The launch of the Tracker Detect Android app should be a relief for Android users amid the luxury car theft cases that were recently reported in Canada. In these cases, thieves hid AirTags in luxury vehicles parked in public spaces and waited for an opportunity to steal the vehicle. 

It’s good to see that Apple has been addressing privacy concerns and introducing new features to help people feel safe with AirTags around them. The company had recently rolled out an update for AirTag that reduced the time taken to ring an alert when an AirTag is away from its owner. If you want to download Tracker Detect app on your Android phone, you can head over to the Play Store.