Apple newly launched its Bluetooth tracker AirTag which is the smallest in the market. YouTuber @Bikespeeds out the tracker to test in a staged bike thievery incident and found that AirTag successfully helped him locate his lost bike.
Retailing for $29, the compact tracker is designed to slide in pockets or hang in keychains with easily misplaced items like bags, keys, and others. And has made it easy to track items via AirTag’s ultra-wideband technology, the Find My app, and its network.
AirTag is a supereasy way to keep track of your stuff. Attach one to your keys, slip another in your backpack. And just like that, they’re on your radar in the Find My app, where you can also track down your Apple devices and keep up with friends and family.
AirTag successfully caught a bike thief
In the three and half minutes long video posted by @Bikespeeds, YouTuber unboxed a new AirTag and paired it with his iPhone, and registered it as ‘Bike’ on the Find My app. Then with an adhesive paper, he attached the tracker under the bike’s seat and left it outside his shop to be picked up by the thief (played by his friend).
Eight minutes after being stolen, YouTuber got the first location notification and the second after twenty minutes. The third location notification came in six minutes after the second hit and the fourth notification came in 34 minutes after the theft. As per the recording, the stolen bike traveled 0.7 miles from the initiate location.
At the end of the video, YouTuber was able to find his stolen bike while the thief was riding it within 34 minutes of theft. The tracker passed the test and YouTuber concluded that “AirTag works.”
This is good news for Apple because the tracker has been receiving some negative feedback, since the launch. A reviewer found it was frighteningly easy to stalk via the tracker, a hacker was able to modify its NFC URL, and concerned for children’s safety, a shopkeeper refused to sell it. Having said that, iOS 14.6 beta code revealed that Apple will allow users to enable Lost Mode via email, in addition to users’ phone numbers. So maybe, in the coming update, the company will improve the tracker’s security.
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