4 ms·

Theft-tracking is sort of an "off-label" use for AirTags, from Apple's perspective. They'd rather make AirTags less generally useful than make them both more g

Theft-tracking is sort of an "off-label" use for AirTags, from Apple's perspective. They'd rather make AirTags less generally useful than make them both more generally useful + open to stalking occurrences and lawsuits.

TuringNYC 2y ago
Agreed on the trade-off. And there are some absolutely 1000% winning use cases (lost cats, lost dogs, lost luggage). However, lets look at the constraints and outcomes: - Me or other people need to be around (since airtags jump off others' devices) This removes use cases like tracking lost marine goods, tracking lost drones, etc. - Item being tracked has to be big enough to be worth the extra size/weight of the long life battery wrapper This removes most common use cases like wallets, remotes, etc. - Item being tracked has to be something you actually lose w/o wrongdoing. Makes sense for backpacks, purses, parked cars. But, most capital equipment wouldnt be "lost" it would be stolen, so that is out. https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/20-surprisingly-practical-uses-for-apple-airtags-0384571/ https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/20-surprisingly-practical...
- theultdev 2y ago
  > This removes most common use cases like wallets, remotes, etc. I use an airtag for my wallet and apple remote. https://ridge.com/products/carbon-case-for-airtag https://ridge.com/products/carbon-case-for-airtag https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G4PT3NJ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G4PT3NJ
  - Diti 2y ago
    For 10 USD more than the carbon case, I prefer using the following item for my wallet. https://nomadgoods.com/products/tracking-card https://nomadgoods.com/products/tracking-card
    - theultdev 2y ago
      My wallet is rfid blocking, that wouldn't work. Plus one less card space in it, even if it did work.
  - TuringNYC 2y ago
    Were talking about the extended battery case, are you saying you put this giant thing in your wallet and on your remotes?! https://www.elevationlab.com/blogs/news/introducing-timecapsule https://www.elevationlab.com/blogs/news/introducing-timecaps...
    - theultdev 2y ago
      Yes, I clearly linked containers that aren't the device in question. I don't see the need for the extended battery case in those use-cases. I also don't see my cat wearing that thing either. Maybe a large dog. But things like wallets, remotes, cats, dogs, are usually in your possession frequently and only lost for short periods of time before you notice. Luggage would be a good use case, and possibly bikes and other large equipment. But I would opt for something more discreet vs a larger battery.
yonatan8070 2y ago
I don't understand why AirTags being used for stalking would open Apple to lawsuits. If I buy a hammer and use it to attack someone, the manufacturer of the hammer isn't open to a lawsuit. Of course I'm not saying Apple shouldn't try to protect people from stalkers using their control over their products, I just don't see why it would make Appld responsible if someone misused their products.
- TuringNYC 2y ago
  IANAL but the hammer doesnt include an ongoing service, but the AirTag is facilitated with a constant service from the manufacturer.
  - unsupp0rted 2y ago
    Also AirTags are meant for tracking personal possessions. Hammers aren't meant for murder. Murder is an off-label use of hammers. If AirTags stopped notifying users they're being tracked, then AirTags would also be meant for tracking people.
    - franga2000 2y ago
      > If AirTags stopped notifying users they're being tracked, then AirTags would also be meant for tracking people. What?? That's like by not including a sound device that screams "look out, you're being murdered!" on every hammer when it's swung, manufacturers are saying their hammers are also intended for murder. Now that Apple has this feature, sure, removing it might raise some eyebrows, but the theft tracking use-case is so obvious and useful that no judge would ever believe that Apple did this specifically to enable stalking.
- 0xffff2 2y ago
  Conversely, people have been suing gun manufacturers after shootings basically forever.
  - jjeaff 2y ago
giarc 2y ago
I bet it's less about lawsuits and more about reputational harm if every week there is a news story about a murder facilitated by an AirTag.

TuringNYC 2y ago

Agreed on the trade-off. And there are some absolutely 1000% winning use cases (lost cats, lost dogs, lost luggage). However, lets look at the constraints and outcomes: - Me or other people need to be around (since airtags jump off others' devices) This removes use cases like tracking lost marine goods, tracking lost drones, etc. - Item being tracked has to be big enough to be worth the extra size/weight of the long life battery wrapper This removes most common use cases like wallets, remotes, etc. - Item being tracked has to be something you actually lose w/o wrongdoing. Makes sense for backpacks, purses, parked cars. But, most capital equipment wouldnt be "lost" it would be stolen, so that is out. https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/20-surprisingly-practical-uses-for-apple-airtags-0384571/ https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/20-surprisingly-practical...

theultdev 2y ago
> This removes most common use cases like wallets, remotes, etc. I use an airtag for my wallet and apple remote. https://ridge.com/products/carbon-case-for-airtag https://ridge.com/products/carbon-case-for-airtag https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G4PT3NJ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G4PT3NJ
- Diti 2y ago
  For 10 USD more than the carbon case, I prefer using the following item for my wallet. https://nomadgoods.com/products/tracking-card https://nomadgoods.com/products/tracking-card
  - theultdev 2y ago
    My wallet is rfid blocking, that wouldn't work. Plus one less card space in it, even if it did work.
- TuringNYC 2y ago
  Were talking about the extended battery case, are you saying you put this giant thing in your wallet and on your remotes?! https://www.elevationlab.com/blogs/news/introducing-timecapsule https://www.elevationlab.com/blogs/news/introducing-timecaps...
  - theultdev 2y ago
    Yes, I clearly linked containers that aren't the device in question. I don't see the need for the extended battery case in those use-cases. I also don't see my cat wearing that thing either. Maybe a large dog. But things like wallets, remotes, cats, dogs, are usually in your possession frequently and only lost for short periods of time before you notice. Luggage would be a good use case, and possibly bikes and other large equipment. But I would opt for something more discreet vs a larger battery.

yonatan8070 2y ago

I don't understand why AirTags being used for stalking would open Apple to lawsuits. If I buy a hammer and use it to attack someone, the manufacturer of the hammer isn't open to a lawsuit. Of course I'm not saying Apple shouldn't try to protect people from stalkers using their control over their products, I just don't see why it would make Appld responsible if someone misused their products.

TuringNYC 2y ago
IANAL but the hammer doesnt include an ongoing service, but the AirTag is facilitated with a constant service from the manufacturer.
- unsupp0rted 2y ago
  Also AirTags are meant for tracking personal possessions. Hammers aren't meant for murder. Murder is an off-label use of hammers. If AirTags stopped notifying users they're being tracked, then AirTags would also be meant for tracking people.
  - franga2000 2y ago
    > If AirTags stopped notifying users they're being tracked, then AirTags would also be meant for tracking people. What?? That's like by not including a sound device that screams "look out, you're being murdered!" on every hammer when it's swung, manufacturers are saying their hammers are also intended for murder. Now that Apple has this feature, sure, removing it might raise some eyebrows, but the theft tracking use-case is so obvious and useful that no judge would ever believe that Apple did this specifically to enable stalking.
0xffff2 2y ago
Conversely, people have been suing gun manufacturers after shootings basically forever.
- jjeaff 2y ago

giarc 2y ago

I bet it's less about lawsuits and more about reputational harm if every week there is a news story about a murder facilitated by an AirTag.