by Jason Snell
Apple issues an AirTag status update
Apple just posted a statement about AirTag that addresses a batch of issues:
We’ve become aware that individuals can receive unwanted tracking alerts for benign reasons, such as when borrowing someone’s keys with an AirTag attached, or when traveling in a car with a family member’s AirPods left inside. We also have seen reports of bad actors attempting to misuse AirTag for malicious or criminal purposes.
You should probably just read the statement, but the gist seems to be that Apple:
- Is working with law enforcement to identify people who use AirTags to track people without their permission, and will be making it clearer when you start using an AirTag that it’s a crime to do so.
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Fixing an issue that makes AirPods appear as an “unknown accessory,” presumably startling people unnecessarily.
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Plans an update to allow people to find unwanted nearby AirTags more easily and allow devices to notice and alert about unwanted nearby AirTags more rapidly.
Apple is trying to thread the needle with AirTags, allowing them to be used for good but not for evil. It’s complicated, and Apple knew that going in—but it turns out it still has a lot to learn.