Google and Apple have collaborated to develop an industry standard to prevent the use of Bluetooth devices for unwanted tracking. The idea seeks to achieve compatibility between the two leading mobile operating systems and the larger Bluetooth ecosystem. The objective is to develop unauthorized tracking detection and alarm systems for iOS and Android platforms that would recognize Bluetooth location tracking devices and flag them if it looks like someone is being monitored without their consent.
The proposed standard seeks to identify and inform persons if a location tracker that has been detached from the owner’s device is traveling with them, as well as to give a method for locating and disabling the tracker. According to reports, Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Eufy Security, and Pebblebee have shown support for the draft specification, which gives instructions for building the essential capabilities into their devices.
The proposed protocol expands on the proactive features of Apple’s AirTag, which inhibits unwanted monitoring, andaims to aid in the fight against unwanted tracking across iOS and Android. The idea has been filed as an Internet-Draft through the Internet Engineering Task Force, and interested parties have three months to give input. By the end of 2023, Apple and Google want to deploy a production implementation of the standard, which will be supported in future versions of iOS and Android.
Bluetooth location tracking tags were originally intended to aid in the recovery of misplaced things such as keys and wallets. These gadgets, however, have also been used to monitor people without their knowledge, creating privacy and safety issues. Apple and Google’s combined approach is a big step toward resolving these concerns and promoting safer and more secure usage of Bluetooth location monitoring devices
