This Monday, Apple and Google implemented a tool in their operating systems that alerts iPhone and Android users if someone is tracking them using a wireless locator or Bluetooth locator.
According to Apple, the feature, called Unwanted Locator Detection, is available starting this Monday on Apple iOS 17.5 and Android 6.0+ devices.
The tool detects if an unknown Bluetooth device is approaching the user within a certain period of time and then sends an alert with the phrase “[Elemento] I found a move with you.”
In the case of iOS, the iPhone itself can find the ID of the person being tracked, play a sound to help you find it, and receive instructions on how to turn it off.
Apple also called its partnership with Google a “pioneer in the sector,” saying it offers “guidance and best practices for manufacturers” who choose to include unwanted tracking alerts in their products.
The new feature comes in response to the controversy surrounding both companies’ wireless tracking systems, such as Apple’s AirTag, which aim to locate lost or stolen items by showing their location.
However, sometimes criminals used them to track other people.
Apple ensures that companies like Motorola or Pebblebee have also committed to include this new feature in their devices.