Google says a joint Bluetooth tracker misuse standard is waiting on Apple
An interoperable Bluetooth tracker abuse prevention system was expected to roll out by the end of 2023, and a post from Google on Thursday seemingly points the finger at Apple as to why it hasn't arrived yet.
An AirTag won't track anybody, if the battery is removed.
A new "Find My Device Network" was proposed earlier in 2023, and a joint standard draft has already been released. However, Google says that it is waiting on Apple for the roll-out of a wider system.
"At this time we've made the decision to hold the rollout of the Find My Device network until Apple has implemented protections for iOS," Google said in a post.
Given that the spec is supposed to remain open for comment and addition through mid-August, it's not clear why Google has chosen to single out Apple in this particular manner.
Interoperability between Bluetooth trackers is coming, but when is the question
On May 2, 2023, Apple and Google jointly submitted a proposed industry specification for what will be part of Google's "Find My Device Network." That standard will eventually allow Bluetooth location tracking devices to be compatible with unauthorized tracking detection systems and alerts across both iOS and Android.
Tracking devices rely on specific device ecosystems to work, such as iPhones and the Find My network for AirTag. However, notifications are also device-dependent, so iPhone users will see anti-stalking notifications if an extra AirTag is in their bag, but an Android device wouldn't, other than occasional beeps from the AirTag itself.
The standard is intended to make iPhone and Android users both get the warnings, regardless of whether the tracker is an AirTag or another compatible with Android.
"Apple launched AirTag to give users the peace of mind knowing where to find their most important items," said Ron Huang, Apple's vice president of Sensing and Connectivity during the launch. "We built AirTag and the Find My network with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking -- a first in the industry -- and we continue to make improvements to help ensure the technology is being used as intended."
Google has essentially the same opinion on the system and potential interoperability.
"Bluetooth trackers have created tremendous user benefits, but they also bring the potential of unwanted tracking, which requires industrywide action to solve," said Dave Burke, Google's vice president of Engineering for Android. "Android has an unwavering commitment to protecting users, and will continue to develop strong safeguards and collaborate with the industry to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices."
The specification was submitted as an Internet-Draft through the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a standards development organization. The specification is open until August for review and comment from external parties.
At the time, the joint release said Apple and Google will address feedback and make adjustments after the period has ended. It has not expired as of yet.
A production implementation of the specification was said to be due by the end of 2023. The release period was said to be in future releases of both iOS and Android.
Other companies have also expressed support for the initiative, including Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security, and Pebblebee. Not all of these companies have responded to the draft as of July 27.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
IMO, for business and marketing reasons, Google should probably do exactly as Apple did with their tracker app, release it and, sometime down the line, make sure that iOS users will get a notification a tracker is following them, once Apple approves the notification app of course. It took Apple 8 months to offer an appropriate notification app to Google, and as it stands right now, Android users would get notifications of Android-compatible tags and trackers from day one, but iOS users would not.
Google is being quite consumer friendly in allowing Apple time to make sure their users get proper notification too, by establishing a standard, a gracious move.
A snippet from a pertinent article that might help you and other readers better understand:
"Google has already announced that all Bluetooth tags compatible with the FindMyDevice network will support Android’s unknown tracker alerts. The iPhone does not have similar detection capabilities.
At the start of May, Google and Apple announced an industry-wide unwanted tracker alert specification. Bluetooth trackers that abide by that approach will be discoverable by Android and iOS. The two mobile platforms have committed to add support once the spec is finalized.
In the meantime they could of course launch the network service anyway but to their credit "Google is not launching the Find My Device (FMD) network “until Apple has implemented protections for iOS.” By making sure iPhone owners can find FMD-compatible trackers, this should hopefully reduce and help prevent the Google network from being used to track Apple devices without awareness from their owners. That would reflect badly on the FMD network and associated products, which is an ongoing occurrence for AirTags."
No, in the meantime Google can not launch their Android tracking service, unless they want to launch it before the "find my device network" standard is finalized for both OS's. Right now, both Google and Apple have already approved the draft of the standard that is going to be use, so both Android and iOS devices will work with it. But he final draft will no be ready until after reviewing any comments made by all others involve, up to the end of July and maybe making some changes based on those reviews.
So at the earliest that Google can launch would be maybe mid Aug. if there's no drastic changes to be made to the draft version. Which is still before the "by the end of 2023" deadline they set. So why is Google whining about Apple saying that they are not ready yet when Apple and others involve have until the end of July to summit any review concerning the draft? Why should Apple implement "find my device network" on iOS when the standard will not be finalized until all the comments been reviewed?
Only you would give Google credit for not yet launching their Android tag system because Apple has not yet implemented the "find my device network" standard on iOS. A standard that has not yet been finalized, for either OS's.
If we were in the middle of Sept., then maybe you giving Google credit for waiting until Apple gets iOS ready might be deserved.
IMO it would be reasonable for Google to do the same, ramp up the service and eventually Apple will catch up and alert their users. Instead, Google is taking the high road and awaiting Apple to offer iOS user protection, whether the eventual standard is fully approved. That sounds like Google thinking of not just Android owners but being considerate of iOS users too.
Yes, Google can go ahead and still release their Android tag system but they will still be using the draft version of the cross platform anti-tracking software. While Apple is still waiting for this draft version to be finalized.
When Apple released their AirTag, using AirTags for stalking was not a known big problem. tiles been around for years before the AirTag and no big problem of stalking reported there. Though tiles do not have the range (or accuracy) that AirTags have. When it became an issue that AirTags were being use for stalking, Apple implemented anti-stalking feature in their own AirTag system and released their "Track Detect" app for Android devices to detect an AirTag, about a year after the AirTag release. But now Google knows that their Android tag will be use for stalking, thanks to Apple AirTag being around for two years. Therefore, It would not be reasonable for Google to release their Android tag system until the agreed upon anti-tracking solution is finalized and implemented on both iOS and Android, in order to solve a known problem with "tags".
For you to give Google credit for not releasing their Android tag system until Apple users have a way to detect an Android tags tracking them, when Google have known for over a year now that stalking will be a problem and then criticize Apple for releasing their AirTag system without a method for Android users to detect an AirTag tracking them, when Apple did not know stalking would be such a big problem when they released their AirTag, is typical you. Thanks to Apple, once again, Google got 2 years of free RD on how to implement a competitive tag system for Android users.
Now to get back to the meat of the matter, Google isn't 'whining" about waiting on Apple. They are explaining to Android users why a planned feature is being delayed. And that is the specific reason; Apple hasn't yet offered a way for iPhone owners to be notified, even tho they too have known for over a year that Google was readying the FindMyDevice network. I have zero doubt Google has been discussing this with Apple for at least that long, probably longer.
Settling on establishing an industry-wide standard is the result of that, but it comes long after Google last year had signaled it would be coming out right about now. Thus Android owners/users deserved an explanation. It's not Google's holdup, it's a result of Apple deciding they would wait on a standard to be approved by everyone before doing anything, and Google allowing them the time to do that.
Google for their part has now released a custom implementation to protect Android users from Bluetooth tag stalking, ahead of the finalized joint spec. Apple, however, will wait to implement the joint spec but will not roll out its own custom implementation in the meantime. So yeah, it's Apple.
I do realise that there’s a July 31 submission deadline, but the article’s first sentence and the other one quoted are misleading.
https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/14/apple-releases-tracker-detect-android-app-to-help-users-discover-unknown-nearby-airtags/
Apple released their "Track Detecter" app to protect Android device users around the beginning of last year. Android users are already protected from being stalked by an AirTag. (Though the app is not the most user friendly. But Android users are use to that.
No, this is on Google for not properly explaining to their users that they are waiting for the cross platform detection software to be finalized. Google own time frame for releasing their Android tag system was .... before the end of the 2023. Google did not have to explain to their users that they are being delayed due to Apple, because their Android tag system is still on time. Google is just once again whining about how Apple is holding them up, from making the World a better place for everyone.
Probably best to just say you agree to disagree, and I'll do the same.
So dropping in something that's yet to be mentioned: How will Google and Apple deal with Tile's Anti-Theft Mode? Perhaps that's addressed as part of the standard.
AFAICT Google is ready, willing, and able, but the standard is not progressing as promised.