I think a worry about stalking caught Apple off-guard. Well my guess anyway 😄
I tend to agree with this ... especially considering just days before 420 event Samsung was reported to be releasing a security fix to prevent secret stalking/tracking of their tag product and infrastructure.
Looking at Rene Ritchie's interview with Apple engineer and exec ... lots of great questions and insight.
Seems I was COMPLETELY wrong with Apple adding more value than what Tile and other competitors have.
Most specifically:
- randomly changing unique identifiers that are NOT ever re-used - keeping identity of device and owner and finder of AirTag's annonymous.
- ^ I don't like the latter because what if:
the person that found the AirTag actually stole the item you've listed and set in AirTag's as lost? Only alerting you of it being found because you're alert mentions an award?
- Any device with NFC can scan AirTag's and then a website is loaded so the person even on Android can see your message and contact details that YOU have chosen to input into the lost notifier.
The REAL AirTag's challenge is not on technology ... it's US ... people.
Japan has a great record of people finding things and reporting to police fully intake so the owner can be contacted or reach out to police on lost items for pickup. People have lost thousands of dollars in bags/briefcases and not a penny was taken when found. Incredible common courtesy, decency and respect of their citizens.
N. America ... ROFLMAO .. you'd be lucky to loose a knapsack with 1 dollar (coin or bill Canada/USA respectively) still in the bag when reported as found. Our society is nowhere close. So to increase the power of your AirTags ... place a reward if found.