This initiative will enhance user safety by alerting individuals across both iOS and Android platforms if a Bluetooth tracking device is unknowingly being used to track their movements. 

Industry-Wide Specification Implementation 

Apple is implementing this capability in iOS 17.5, while Google is launching it on Android 6.0+ devices. The new feature ensures that users receive an “[Item] Found Moving With You” alert on their device if an unknown Bluetooth tracking device is detected moving with them over time, regardless of the platform the tracker is paired with. 

User-Friendly Alerts and Actions 

When an iOS user receives such an alert, it indicates that someone else's AirTag, Find My accessory, or another industry specification-compatible Bluetooth tracker is moving with them. The alert allows users to: 

- View the tracker’s identifier 

- Play a sound from the tracker to help locate it 

- Access instructions to disable the tracker if it is not associated with a borrowed item 

Manufacturers including Chipolo, eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee have committed to making future Bluetooth tags compatible with this industry specification. 

Privacy and Safety Innovations 

AirTag and third-party Find My network accessories have been designed with privacy and safety protections from the outset. Apple has continuously innovated and enhanced these protections to ensure consumer safety. This new cross-platform collaboration, the first of its kind, builds on these efforts by incorporating community and industry input. 

Collaborative Development for Enhanced Security 

Apple and Google will continue to work with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) through the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers working group to develop the official standard for this technology. This collaboration provides manufacturers with instructions and best practices for integrating unwanted tracking alert capabilities into their products. 

By combining their expertise and resources, Apple and Google are setting a new standard for user safety in the digital age, ensuring that individuals are better protected from unauthorized tracking across multiple platforms. 

For more information, visit Apple's website and Google's website. 

About Apple 

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud.  

About Google 

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.