Apple launches AirTag detector app for Android to boost privacy

(Reuters) – Apple Inc said on Monday it had launched an Android app to help users scan nearby AirTags or other similar item trackers that might be traveling with them without their knowledge, in an effort to boost privacy.

The Tracker Detect app, which Apple released on Google’s Play Store, says that a user can scan to try to find AirTags or compatible devices if they believed someone is using it to track their location.

AirTags are small devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost.

Apple said the app enables Android users to proactively scan for item trackers that are no longer with their owner. If such a tracker has been moving with the user for more than 10 minutes, the app will help locate it by playing a sound and provide guidance to disable it.

“We are raising the bar on privacy for our users and the industry, and hope others will follow,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)