Google could introduce an AirTag and Tile tag scanner to Android
Bluetooth trackers are something that can be very useful and, at the same time, can be very dangerous if not used as intended. Apple's AirTags, for example, have made the news numerous times due to stories of people using these otherwise useful devices for stalking purposes. Because of that, Apple implemented a feature in its iPhones that automatically checks if someone is using an AirTag to track you. According to 9to5Google, Google may be working on a similar feature for Android.
The people from 9to5Google decompiled the latest version of an APK file (the installation file of an Android application) of an application uploaded by Google to the Google Play Store. When they decompiled the APK file, they found lines of code suggesting that Google is possibly working on an Android feature that will enable Android users to easily see if someone is using a Bluetooth tracker to stalk them.
While we wait to see if Google will implement a built-in Bluetooth tracker finder in Android, don't worry, there are currently other methods for you to find out if someone is tracking you via an AirTag or a Tile tag.
Last December, Apple released an app for Android called "Tracker Detect." Tracker Detect enables Android users to scan and see if someone is currently tracking them with an AirTag. The downside is that the app requires you to run scans manually since it doesn't perform scans in the background.
If you're worried that someone could use a Tile tag instead of an AirTag to track you, don't worry. You can now scan for Tile tags as well. Tile recently added a scanning tool called "Scan and Secure" to its "Tile" app, allowing users to see if someone is stalking them with a Tile tag. The feature is available both on Android and iPhones. To scan, simply launch the "Tile" app and hit the "Scan" option in the upper right corner of the app.
Some of the lines of code found in the APK file suggest that your phone would be able to notify you if it finds a Bluetooth tracker and enable you to ring the tracker in order to find out where it's hidden. It should be noted that these suggestions come only from a few lines of code, and although it would be very useful to have such a built-in feature on Android, we can't be sure if Google will decide to really implement it on its operating system as Apple did.
Last December, Apple released an app for Android called "Tracker Detect." Tracker Detect enables Android users to scan and see if someone is currently tracking them with an AirTag. The downside is that the app requires you to run scans manually since it doesn't perform scans in the background.
If you're worried that someone could use a Tile tag instead of an AirTag to track you, don't worry. You can now scan for Tile tags as well. Tile recently added a scanning tool called "Scan and Secure" to its "Tile" app, allowing users to see if someone is stalking them with a Tile tag. The feature is available both on Android and iPhones. To scan, simply launch the "Tile" app and hit the "Scan" option in the upper right corner of the app.
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