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If NY”’ers and MRians are not interested in these free Airtags, you can send them my way… 🤣🤣

I’ve got plenty of use for them…
 
That's brilliant. I have one in the car for that very purpose. I hope I will never need to use it. I also have BMW tracking but this can be disabled by the thief. In the UK (where I'm based) some insurance companies require you to have a tracker fitted. They don't consider BMW connected drive as authorised tracker, neither the AirTag. I suppose it's just a secret deal with paid tracker providers to get you to to pay for their subscription, fitting and the tracker itself (about £500). I don't want to pay monthly fee (about £20), but I also don't want cowboys to mess up electronic in my brand new BMW... therefore AirTag is perfect for that purpose. I'm planning to put a second one in different spot. Just for the backup - if battery dies in one I have second. I hope this will make evenly UK Insurance companies to look differently on this excellent device.
You make a very good point. The vast majority of car crime here is done by boosting the key fob signal from inside the house to someone standing next to the car or blocking the signal in a car park when someone tries to lock the car. Then, with a cheap device they get into the diagnostic port where they can disable the alarm and tracking and start the car. Considering the price of even a cheap car and the hassle, an air tag is cheap insurance.
 
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Interestingly, today… Nick Kyrgios (tennis player) had his Tesla stolen after it was carjacked while his mother was driving it. Nick immediately remotely slowed it to a max of 80 kph, tracked it and the police stopped it. That’s how this works at its best. In the meantime, we use an AirTag to track it, if we can’t afford a Tesla.
 
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First thought: Good idea, innovation. Someone is using their head
Second thought: 500 for free? That will last all 10 minutes and involve low level corruption in the distribution of them
Third thought: Do you really think NYPD is going to run in and get your car back or that this will make a difference? By the time they get around to it, you insurance company will have canceled your policy and your car model will have been discontinued.
 
Apple needs to add a feature to share just your Find My tracking of a specific device with law enforcement. At the moment police ask for your iCloud username and password to track devices which is handing over way too much data to anyone IMO
 
Yes

Lived there, and not even the dirty sketchy city, was a victim to felony level larceny, the police couldn’t be bothered, and I had the case on a platter, emails from all parties, I was working for a lawfirm at the time and even they said it’s clear cut, cops just said “that’s a civil matter”

That’s about when I was onboard with defunding 80% of police

But I promise if I didn’t have a valid “inspection” sticker I wouldn’t make it a week before a cop would stop me post haste, that whole state is a scam, and “the city” is the epicenter


If NYPD wants you to do something, 9.9 times out of 10 it’s in your best interest to do the opposite
I don't think "working" for a law firm is very relevant. It was a civil matter. You should have hired one of the lawyers where you worked. I guess, just as the cops were not interested in making it a criminal matter, they didn't thinks either.

I have was born there, grew up in the suburbs, went to college there and worked there for many years. NYC's problems are no different that any other densely populated city. Crime, homelessness, overworked police and fireman and priorities than don't always sync with a particular citizens priorities. Never had any of the problems you mention or any of the issues you seem to raise

I never parked my illegally and I never didn't have didn't have a valid registration sticker for my vehicle. I was well aware of the consequences of doing those things and decided I did not want to experience them. Don't have one? Such a person deserves to be stopped and ticketed. Such a person is subject to the same laws the rest of us are even enforcement isn't consistent. Such people should take responsibility for their own actions.

Contrary to what you said, if NYPD tells you to do something, 9.9 times out of 10 you would be well advised to do exactly what they told you to do.
 
Apple needs to add a feature to share just your Find My tracking of a specific device with law enforcement. At the moment police ask for your iCloud username and password to track devices which is handing over way too much data to anyone IMO
No, No and No
 
Maybe it only appears to work fine because your iPhone is regularly inside the car as well?
My phone and I are currently 7000 miles from where my car is and I have not had any problems tracking to the car and know where it is at all times.
 
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My phone and I are currently 7000 miles from where my car is and I have not had any problems tracking to the car and know where it is at all times.
And no one else with an Apple device is using the car? I’m not doubting it works, but I think to really test it one would have to have someone drive the car around who doesn’t carry an Apple device.
 
And no one else with an Apple device is using the car? I’m not doubting it works, but I think to really test it one would have to have someone drive the car around who doesn’t carry an Apple device.
It works fine for me. I've had an Airtag hidden in my car for two years now (installed days after the Airtags were put on sale back in 2021), and I'm always able to see where my car is. Had to change the battery once so far in that two years.

On occasions when it's been in for regular servicing, or when I've brought it to have paint corrected/detailed, I find it useful to be able to confirm that my car is always where it should be; at the dealership or service centre, and not being taken for a joyride somewhere.

It obviously needs to have other iOS devices, etc. closeby for it to work effectively, but that's never been a problem for me. Whenever I've checked on my phone, I can see where my car is. And the "last seen" time is generally 2 mins or less...
 
Having an airTag is the car is very useful, mostly if your travel and may forget where exactly you left the car on this big multi-storey parking lot.

And as a side story, I had my son using my car to travel in France, and I was able to track the car during his whole trip. A very efficient solution with minimal incremental cost to me (this initial device price plus one CR2032 every 6 months).

BTW, the airTag is not really hidden, it is just dropped in a door storage pocket.
 
“Free”

Yeah you know the cops are tracking you too if you take one of those

Why does anyone still live in NY?


Plus if you film them steal it, track it to the hood rats dwelling, call the cops, $5 says they won’t do anything, but go 11mph over the speed limit, or don’t have one of their “inspection” stickers clogging up your windshield and they’ll be on it like flys on..we’ll NY
Why does anyone still live in NYC? As a someone who has for the last 42 years, I can mention the art, culture, music, Central Park, great food, etc. etc. ... but when it comes to safety -- NYC is the safest city in terms of violent crime, per capita in the United States. Look it up: here is one list for you, NYC isn't even in the top 75 --https://www.populationu.com/gen/most-dangerous-cities-in-the-us

Yes, NYC was dangerous, in the 1980s... things have slightly changed since then. So far as cars are concerned, maybe car manufacturers can start emulating Tesla? Century mode, ability to trace your car via your remote iPhone app, or otherwise help nature the thief. See for instance: https://www.drive.com.au/news/tesla-owner-lock-thief-inside-car/
A car theft is highly unlikely to get anywhere.
 
Not even needed. Any person carrying an iPhone passing near to your car will locate it. That's where the airTag is more convenient than many other more complex solutions.
The question discussed was that cars act as Faraday cages to some extent, so depending on where you place the AirTag within the car, the NFC may become more limited. I was pointing out that testing this would require driving the car without an Apple mobile device inside.
 
And no one else with an Apple device is using the car? I’m not doubting it works, but I think to really test it one would have to have someone drive the car around who doesn’t carry an Apple device.
The only person driving it is doing it once a week for 15 minutes to keep the fluids and battery healthy while I am on an overseas assignment. No one else is driving it. AirTags do rely on Apple phones/mobile devices to work. Anyone's Apple mobile device will do the trick. It does not have to be your own phone. In most parts of the world, that's pretty easy.
 
Seen as how long it takes for your iPhone to say « item no longer detected » the car would have crossed five states before you’re notified…
 
Despite all the obstacles that Apple implements to deter it is still possible to use an AirTag for theft tracking purposes on a car. A thief will only get a notification they are being tracked if they have an iPhone. On Android you actually have to download an app and manually check. Also depending on the situation there is a time buffer between when a thief would get tracking notification or an airtag starts making sound. A small window of opportunity to track is better than none at all.

Even if they do realize they are being tracked there are endless places to hide one that would take time for a thief to find. Hiding one in an engine bay, inside a bumper cover, take apart dash, take apart rear seat, inside trunk under the liner or in spare tire well etc. Hiding an AirTag good enough to the point where disassembly of parts of the vehicle may buy enough time for it to be located after being stolen.

If you make the AirTag frustrating to find and get to the thief may also just get spooked enough to abandon the car. In that case them knowing they are being tracked might be a good thing.

Anyhow my vehicle already has built in GPS tracking from the factory. I keep an AirTag hidden in the car for extra peace of mind.

Some areas are more vulnerable than others. What state do you live, what car do you have and what reg and what specific place did you choose to hide the AirTag? This information will be useful for helping others learn safe practices. 🛑
 
Seen as how long it takes for your iPhone to say « item no longer detected » the car would have crossed five states before you’re notified…
Everybody can have their own opinion. You are free to not use them for whatever purpose you don't want to use them for.
 
Or...maybe just maybe, we could be tough on crime again instead of releasing criminals back onto the streets almost immediately.
Interesting idea, but did you make a calculation what will be the cost of it? What will you pay for prisons, guards, food, medic-care, heating, cooling etc. etc.?
And if you did, take a look at the the defence budget; any chance the minister of defence will get jealous at the department of correction?
 
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