Detection of trackers is being worked on by Google for Android devices. Your phone may now identify the presence of an unrecognised smart tracker if it’s been in close proximity to it for an extended period of time thanks to this functionality.
Using this feature, malicious individuals can’t use smart trackers like Apple’s AirTags or Tile’s trackers to monitor the whereabouts of innocent bystanders.
After decompiling the Play services APK, 9to5Google identified the feature. An Unfamiliar Tag Detected Notification with three smart tag possibilities (Tile tag, Finder tag and ATag) was discovered in the code. While we know that the first two correspond to Apple’s AirTags and Tile trackers, we have no idea what the third one means.
As soon as your phone spots an unfamiliar tag in its vicinity, it may be able to warn you of its presence by ringing it.
If an AirTag is removed from its user for more than 24 hours, it will make a sound. This feature is already incorporated into iOS by Apple. Unauthorized smart tags may be detected by Apple and Tile Android applications, but manual scanning may take up to 10 minutes.
The ideal method is to have Android’s automatic detection built in. Google’s I/O developer conference is coming up in May, and we’re hoping to learn more about this feature then.