First launched in April of 2021, the Apple AirTag has had quite an impact on society. Some love the handy effect of it, using it to chase down a stolen wallet or a forgotten medication left on a bus, but at $29 a pop, is this tiny, simple gadget worth the money? The AirTag has gotten some flack lately, and you might not even know why. For all the answers and a full explanation of the design of the Apple AirTag, read our guide.
What’s the concept?
The Apple AirTag is a tiny device, about the size of a large button or smaller than a popsocket, which can be attached to something valuable and track items. The idea is that you should be able to use them to find anything that is likely to be lost or stolen. Simply attach it, either like a keyring or via a sticker, and use the corresponding app to track where your valuables are or where they are going.
However, the Apple AirTag can be pricey, and has a bit of a stigma on it right now. If you’re worried about your expensive phone getting away from you, you can look into mobile phone insurance here rather than take the risk of being out of pocket. You can be covered for loss and theft of your phone, so that you aren’t missing that vital hand extension for too long. Retail coverage with your phone might cover damage, but not theft, which is where the AirTag originally came into play. Plus, with phone and device insurance you can cover other electronics like laptops, gaming consoles, tablets, etc.
But our phones are becoming our hold all for every detail of our lives. To lose your cell phone might even mean to never know the time again until you actually dust off a watch. Replacing it isn’t a fun idea, chasing down contacts and logging into accounts, and reuploading that music library, and possibly losing your old photos. It all puts a stop to your life until you get it sorted.
The Apple AirTag was designed to make sure that you can get your phone back, rather than shelling out for a new phone. And it’s adaptable, able to be added to just about any valuable item that can be portable. People stick them to laptops, AirPods, wallets, car and home keys, children’s backpacks and more.
What’s the controversy?
Apple inadvertently made a device that can track anything, and a moment more of the thought process might have flagged up some issues there before the AirTag was released.
There have been a lot of reports of harassed victims due to the AirTag. People are finding AirTags that don’t belong to them slipped into their bags, or stuck to the exterior of a car, tracking the victim wherever they are going. This can be for various reasons. It starts with knowing where they are going, and then they are pulled up for being somewhere “they shouldn’t”, have their home invaded or they look rich, so buglers track where they live to come back another time.
This is far from the first instance of problems like this where nefarious people are using modern technology to monitor their victims. Domestic violence victims have reported, for example, the likes of Amazon’s personal assistant, Alexa, or other models by Google, etc. watching the victim and sending threatening and teasing messages through the personal assistant. Others have said that they were being watched via their Ring doorbell, tormented for leaving the house for any reason.
So, Apple aren’t the only ones guilty of being shortsighted about the uses of its products. The one merit of those examples is that the software working Alexa and Ring doorbells record everything, which can be presented to the authorities if needs be. The Apple AirTag does no such thing, but simply monitors, tracking your journey from A to B. The context of where the item is going, and what is being done around it is lost to the AirTag.
What is Apple doing about it?
In February of this year, Apple released an update on the AirTag intended to tackle this issue of “unwanted tracking”. It outlines updates like working with authorities and new privacy warnings that alert the user, when they are setting up their AirTag that tracking people without consent is a crime.
Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
