5 ms·

Does anti-stalking only work for Apple users? I assume it won't notify someone who doesn't have an Apple phone, making it kinda useless for half the population.

crazygringo 6y ago
The article isn't entirely clear, but suggests that it will use the network of iOS devices around it and that the AirTag will start beeping as well. Seems like it should be able to detect that it's always traveling together with a single Android phone's WiFi signal, for example.
- Hitton 6y ago
  I wonder how hard would it be to disable beeping. There is probably a speaker that can be drilled through.
  - ehsankia 6y ago
    That kinda kills the whole purpose of the tag, which is to beep when you lose it. I guess you can still kinda find it with the UWB chip on your iPhone, but that's much harder than by sound.
    - Hitton 6y ago
      Not if you want to use the tag to stalk someone.
      - ehsankia 6y ago
        Then just just a Tile or some other tracker.
  - ChristophGeske2 6y ago
    The plastik part seems to be the resonator replacing it with a soft material that absorbs sound would be the easiest step. However it might be better to disconect the speaker which should save lots of energy the peeper would consume otherwise. I don't think apple checks for the speeker to be connected if the speaker breaks for example it would make the tag unusable resulting in more warrenty complains.
gruez 6y ago
>And even if users don’t have an iOS device, an AirTag separated from its owner for an extended period of time will play a sound when moved to draw attention to it.
- drdaeman 6y ago
  So, this prevents some legitimate use cases, for example putting a tag in a suitcase for the flight, because it'll start beeping at some point? A shame. It would've been cool standing at that conveyor belt at the airport and rather than staring at the luggage as it comes, being able to sense one's own stuff. Also, seems that it's not suitable for putting on a cat or dog's collar for the same reason.
  - gruez 6y ago
    Presumably "extended period of time" is several days, not several hours.
    - drdaeman 6y ago
      That would defeat the purpose of this anti-tracking [counter]measure. One would be able to sneak a tag into someone's bag (or clothes, or car) and track their movement for the whole day. Then get back into tag's proximity to reset the timer.
      - gruez 6y ago
        If your threat model is 1 day, it's pretty hard to use that for any sort of "find lost things" product. If I forgot my keychain at work, is it going to beep the entire night? What if I'm out sick the next day? Is it going to annoy all my coworkers for the entire day?
        drdaeman 6y ago
        > If I forgot my keychain at work, is it going to beep the entire night? No, I don't think so. As I understand it, the idea is that AirTags would only beep if they detect being moved (probably, accelerometer/motion based, as everything else is probably energy cost-prohibitive). So, no, a forgotten keychain left on a table shouldn't beep on its own, unless someone takes it and carries with themselves for some time. It shouldn't even beep if your coworker notices your keys and moves them to another room for safekeeping. The idea is that it should eventually alert if you put a tag in someone's back pocket and you or they walk away.

crazygringo 6y ago

The article isn't entirely clear, but suggests that it will use the network of iOS devices around it and that the AirTag will start beeping as well. Seems like it should be able to detect that it's always traveling together with a single Android phone's WiFi signal, for example.

Hitton 6y ago
I wonder how hard would it be to disable beeping. There is probably a speaker that can be drilled through.
- ehsankia 6y ago
  That kinda kills the whole purpose of the tag, which is to beep when you lose it. I guess you can still kinda find it with the UWB chip on your iPhone, but that's much harder than by sound.
  - Hitton 6y ago
    Not if you want to use the tag to stalk someone.
    - ehsankia 6y ago
      Then just just a Tile or some other tracker.
- ChristophGeske2 6y ago
  The plastik part seems to be the resonator replacing it with a soft material that absorbs sound would be the easiest step. However it might be better to disconect the speaker which should save lots of energy the peeper would consume otherwise. I don't think apple checks for the speeker to be connected if the speaker breaks for example it would make the tag unusable resulting in more warrenty complains.

gruez 6y ago

>And even if users don’t have an iOS device, an AirTag separated from its owner for an extended period of time will play a sound when moved to draw attention to it.

drdaeman 6y ago
So, this prevents some legitimate use cases, for example putting a tag in a suitcase for the flight, because it'll start beeping at some point? A shame. It would've been cool standing at that conveyor belt at the airport and rather than staring at the luggage as it comes, being able to sense one's own stuff. Also, seems that it's not suitable for putting on a cat or dog's collar for the same reason.
- gruez 6y ago
  Presumably "extended period of time" is several days, not several hours.
  - drdaeman 6y ago
    That would defeat the purpose of this anti-tracking [counter]measure. One would be able to sneak a tag into someone's bag (or clothes, or car) and track their movement for the whole day. Then get back into tag's proximity to reset the timer.
    - gruez 6y ago
      If your threat model is 1 day, it's pretty hard to use that for any sort of "find lost things" product. If I forgot my keychain at work, is it going to beep the entire night? What if I'm out sick the next day? Is it going to annoy all my coworkers for the entire day?
      - drdaeman 6y ago
        > If I forgot my keychain at work, is it going to beep the entire night? No, I don't think so. As I understand it, the idea is that AirTags would only beep if they detect being moved (probably, accelerometer/motion based, as everything else is probably energy cost-prohibitive). So, no, a forgotten keychain left on a table shouldn't beep on its own, unless someone takes it and carries with themselves for some time. It shouldn't even beep if your coworker notices your keys and moves them to another room for safekeeping. The idea is that it should eventually alert if you put a tag in someone's back pocket and you or they walk away.