Thank you.
So anybody with an iOS device cannot turn off the find my network service? I assume it’s like a huge mesh network?
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AirTags Separated From Owners for Three Days or More Play Audible Sound When Moved
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So anybody with an iOS device cannot turn off the find my network service? I assume it’s like a huge mesh network?
No, you're mixing up two features. The audible sound starts doing its job after 3 days (not 4), that's part one. The second, and in my opinion most important part, is the mere fact that your AirTags will report back their location to you. So worst case that was their last location when they were still in line-of-sight with your iPhone. Best case scenario would be that it is in range of other iPhones, leveraging the Find My network using BTLE and having those iPhones of random other people report your AirTags location back to you, including time stamp like "15 minutes ago".
So no, you don't have to wait 3 or 4 days at all. It's just that in case of lost items, it'll play a sound after 3 days and it might help someone finding your stuff with that AirTag on/in and as with most Apple products, in a few years they'll probably become such a commodity, even my mother would know what to do with it.
Of course, in case of theft, the thief will just throw out the AirTag and keep the stuff attached to fit, and that's why it's only providing an audible sound after 3 days. You wouldn't want a thief to know there's an AirTag inside your backpack minutes after you've lost it. That's a guarantee he'll find where the sound is coming from and either dump it all or just the AirTag (whatever's more convenient). However... let's say your bag gets stolen in plain sight, then you can run after the thief or if you're not willing to put yourself in possible danger, you can grab your iPhone (if that wasn't in your backpack) and let it play a sound, there's a chance the thief will find himself too exposed in let's say a mall or something and just let go of the bag.
Is 3 days optimal? I don't know. Should it be left to the users? Yes and no. I feel it should definitely NOT be left to users freely, as in: choose anything between 1 minute and 1 year. There has to be a common ground that everyone knows off, for example that it will never start beeping within the first day of "losing" it. So maybe Apple should let us choose between like 1 and 7 days, but I could also understand why they wouldn't, sometimes for the general public (because that's what you're partly counting on in these scenarios) it's better to just have a fixed number of days that everyone at some point will know of.
What if i’m going on a trip? do I have to remember to manual turn off all tags not used....seems a bit much
You're being a muppet.
It's on the AirTag site at the bottom under Specs:
AirTag
Attach AirTag to everyday items, like your keys or a backpack, to easily keep track of them in the Find My app.
www.apple.com
Size
Diameter: 1.26 inches (31.9 mm)
Height: 0.31 inch (8.0 mm)
Weight
0.39 ounce (11 grams)
Actually no. If you leave stuff at home, then you would assume they'd stay in their place, right? Then it's not necessary to turn them off.
If your house gets broken into and they take your laptop bag with that AirTag inside, then it will start beeping, you'll be notified, etc.
If it's stuff you take with you on a trip, it's fine as well, as they will either stay within your iPhone's range or you leave it somewhere safe. It's the "not moving" part that will make sure you don't have to turn them off at every change of use.
I would say you're correct, but I think one of the system services location toggles is controlling it, not sure which one, maybe Find My iPhone.
I'm assuming there are two modes "I've lost my AirTag" (makes the AirTag beep so you can find it) and "I've lost my thing the AirTag is attached to" (no beep, but allows you to track the AirTag).
At least that makes sense to me!
Which is marginally smaller than a pile of four UK half crown coins. (Just in case anyone remembers them...) Which would be 32.3 x 8.8. Though the coins would weigh just over 56 grams.You're being a muppet.
AirTag
Attach AirTag to everyday items, like your keys or a backpack, to easily keep track of them in the Find My app.www.apple.com
Size
Diameter: 1.26 inches (31.9 mm)
Height: 0.31 inch (8.0 mm)
Weight
0.39 ounce (11 grams)
The more I find out about AirTags, the more I look forward to getting my 4 pack. Hopefully, the battery life will last the 1 year per Apple.
You're being a muppet.
AirTag
Attach AirTag to everyday items, like your keys or a backpack, to easily keep track of them in the Find My app.www.apple.com
Size
Diameter: 1.26 inches (31.9 mm)
Height: 0.31 inch (8.0 mm)
Weight
0.39 ounce (11 grams)
I'm officially taking myself outside to have a word with myself!Thanks!
1.5mm thicker than a Tile Pro, which was already too thick for my wallet. Not gonna work
@Apple_Robert Apple gets my benefit of the doubt with regards to battery life. Even of it's about 9 months, that would still be fair.
I also think it's safe to assume that (ab)using the lost mode often will drain the battery more quickly. Especially playing a sound.
I also think it's safe to assume that (ab)using the lost mode often will drain the battery more quickly. Especially playing a sound.
Haha I guess Tamagotchi is older than a lot of users here already.So, the Apple AirTamagotchi?
I have a weird feeling that as these things start getting widely used, real world issues are going to crop up that weren’t considered. I mean, what if someone were to steal a wallet containing an AirTag and chuck it into the bushes in my yard, then some vigilante tracks it to my house and beats on my door yelling “you’ve got my wallet!” Or what if kids start hiding these in each other’s backpacks or something. I can’t see actual use cases being foolproof. That said I’m ordering a 4-pack at 8am Friday lol. I’ll probably keep one in my car.
The proper solution for this scenario would be to add AirTags to family sharing. But as with almost everything, it normally makes sense to accept a few false positives to reduce false negatives.
How is this different than with Tiles and similar products? At any rate, UWB should direct the wallet owner to your bushes, not your front door.
This should then also apply to thieves (if they themselves use whatever they have stolen and haven’t detected or identified the tag).
Even ‘better’: my car is outside bluetooth range and I only use it in the weekends... 🔊😞
This may sound dumb. But does the sound come from iPhone or the tag?
should be a way to not have it play a sound tbh.
should be a way to not have it play a sound tbh.
My car has a location service already built in that cellular so I dont need a tag to know where my car is located but it is a good idea maybe for those that do not already have a connected car.
Right, so the example just needs tweaking. I leave it my car and go on a week long flight. Someone in my family moves the car half-way through. That would make the AirTag start beeping. Or, I put one on my backup set of keys at home. I leave on vacation. Someone moves my keys getting to theirs - AirTag starts beeping. There's endless scenarios where this is a bad idea, unless we find out more info on how it works or how to turn it off.
I’m looking forward to hearing more about this. I have an airtag on...whatever, say the new ATV remote...at my house. I go on a 5-day trip. While I’m gone, a kid grabs the remote. It beeps? I get a notification on watch, phone, iPad?
I’m curious about the range of the network to count as my being “in contact” with the device.