AirTags' Phantom Alerts Have Issues, and Apple Has Rolled Out a Solution

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 07 May 2022, 09:05 am

Apple has made a bit of progress in improving the anti-stalking and privacy features of its AirTag item trackers.

This is despite the fact that the device was launched with a set of anti-tracking features that are more sophisticated than similar products on the market.

Apple Fixes Phantom AirTag Alerts Issue

According to The Wall Street Journal, the phantom AirTag alerts that send iPhone users on wild goose chases are having issues.

By default, iOS will send an alert when an unknown AirTag is detected near you, and this automatically alerts you to the possibility that someone is tracking your location and allows you to locate the AirTag and get law enforcement involved if needed.

However, on May 7, it was reported that in the recent weeks, some iPhone users have begun receiving alerts, often in the middle of the night, for AirTags that might not be in their path at all.

Also Read: Apple AirTags Can Stalk People and Here's How to Stop it

In these types of situations, the affected user receives an alert from the Find My app saying that there is an AirTag detected near you, and a map of the item tracker pops up with the supposed location and path.

According to 9to5Mac, the maps on phantom AirTag alerts share the same pattern, which are straight red lines radiating out from the user's location.

If AirTags were in motion along with the patterns, it would be crossing in the middle of the city streets, passing through construction zones, and even penetrating walls.

It is not clear how widespread the issue is and whether or not it is something that began recently or has been an issue since AirTag debuted.

An Apple spokesperson did confirm that the tech giant is aware of the problem. The spokesperson said that such alerts could have resulted from an iPhone receiving area Wi-Fi signals that temporarily confused its location services.

A potential fix would be to go to Settings, click on 'Privacy,' select Location Services, and toggle the switch off and on while Wi-Fi is enabled on the iPhone.

The spokesperson also said that in more densely populated areas, AirTags owned by others nearby could trigger unwanted alerts.

AirTags Are Used for Stalking

According to BBC, as of January, six women in the United States claimed that they had been tracked using Apple AirTags.

The small devices are made to work with Apple's Find My network to locate lost items. But there have been several reports in the country that the devices are being used to stalk people.

The tech giant also says AirTags have better security features than other products. But there is growing evidence that they are being used for criminal activity used across the United States.

Apple launched AirTags in April 2021. They are small, smooth, and circular and took inspiration from other tracking products on the market, like Tile.

The idea behind the creation of the product is that they are attached to luggage, keys, or items that are easily lost. You can track them to within 0.1ft., but if it falls into the wrong hands, they can be used for malicious purposes.