We’ve been expecting Apple to launch its own tracker for a long time and today it … announced that a group of third-party trackers would work with its Find My app.
If you think this means that there may be no AirTag we’d suggest that you just wait a little longer before you give up hope. We think that Apple’s announcement today was to give their third-party partners a little attention before they launch their own product.
As Apple explains in the press release, the Find My app (which you can use to locate Apple items like your iPhone or Apple Watch) will now work with other devices “so their customers can use the Find My app to locate and keep track of the important items in their lives.”
How to find items with Find My
The Find My app now shows a new Items tab to which you will be able to Add Items.
- Open the Find My app.
- Tap on Items (you may have to wait for this to appear).
- Now tap on Add Item.
- Your iPhone will search for nearby items that are supported.
What products can be found with Find My
In addition to Apple products such as the iPhone, Apple Watch, Macs, and iPads, the following products will be able to be located with the Find My app from 12 April 2021:
- Belkin, Soundform Freedom True Wireless Earbuds – buy them from Amazon for £34.99 here: Belkin SoundForm True Wireless Earbud Headphones.
- Chipolo, ONE Spot item finder – buy one from Amazon for £22 here: Chipolo One Spot Item Finder.
- VanMoof, S3 and X3 e-bikes – the S3 is £1,798 here the X3 is £1,798 here.
This will later be opened up to other third-parties via Apple’s Made for iPhone (MFi) Program and should mean that any accessory developer will be able to connect existing or new products to Apple’s Find My network. Manufacturers wanting their products to be trackable can apply to the MFI Program here.
Author: Karen Haslam, Editor
Macworld editor since 2008, Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld two decades ago.
Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Her focus is Mac, but she lives and breathes Apple.