Comment by lysace

17 hours ago

What happens after that? It goes dark? Or it just alerts the thief (stalker victim)?

I have only seen the Google side, just a single time when one of my Chipolos threw an alert on my passenger's Samsung.

My Chipolo certainly still works.

There are [cheap] tags being sold that are compatible with both Apple Find My and Google's Find Hub. I would rather have a dual-network device than Apple's improved model.

Would it be so difficult for Apple to put a hole in the Airtag so it could be directly attached to a keychain?

Here is an example of dual-network tags:

https://www.amazon.com/Tracker-Locator-Android-Bluetooth-Fin...

  • Do these tags need to be configured on both networks to support both protocols? If I own an Android device and configure it there, will Apple devices still find the tag? How does that work?

    • The Chipolos that I have purchased appear on my phone when first presented, then do not offer to pair to other users' Find Hubs unless I deregister.

      I imagine that Airtag functionality is disabled when Find Hub configures these tags.

      I have heard in the commentary here that Chipolo is now making dual-network devices, but only one can be active at a time.

      Apple has a larger and more sensitive network, so uses requiring tracking quality would lean that way.

      I would prefer to find a tag that can be provisioned on both networks. I don't know if any actually work that way.

      I'd also like a tag that would let me take it apart and disable the speaker. For my car, that seems appropriate, if I can also find a placement location which is extremely difficult to access.

      Edit: Google is saying that "they generally require switching between networks rather than operating on both simultaneously."

      2 replies →

  • Do the Apple/Google "multi-tags" support the UWB precision finding from the phones?

    • For as inexpensive as they are, likely not.

      I am planning to purchase one, cut the speaker connection, and put it in my car.

  • Seems like apple is licensing usage of their Bluetooth protocol/scheme via the "MFi program".

    https://developer.apple.com/find-my/

    > Would it be so difficult for Apple to put a hole in the Airtag so it could be directly attached to a keychain?

    Yes. It is surprisingly a near impossible engineering challenge at the levels Apple hardware is being done. Have you even considered the wear and tear that a mere hole in an ABS plastic molded detail would be subjected to over the lifespan of...several years?

    (Just kidding, obviously they just want to upsell their customers with extremely overpriced accessories.)

It sends alerts to the thief's iPhone or Android (if you have Apple's Tracker Detect Android app) that they are being tracked within 30 to 60 minutes. It also enables the beeping so the thief can find and remove the Airtag.

If the Airtag can't reach the thief's phone, it starts chirping by itself within an 8-24 hour window.