What you need to know
- Apple has announced the Find My Network Accessory Program.
- The program allows third-party developers to add their tracking accessories to the Find My app.
- Specifications are being released to companies today.
While the Find My app was not mentioned during the WWDC keynote, Apple has quitely rolled out a new third-party program for the app.
Reported by MacRumors, Apple has introduced the Find My Network Accessory Program. The program allows third-party hardware companies to add accessories to the Find My app so Apple customers can access all of the things they want to track inside the Find My app.
Apple says that, in order to be compatible with the Find My network, companies will need to adhere to the end-to-end encryption that Apple has built into the program. Specifications for the program are being made available to companies starting today.
"Find My will add support for finding third-party products and accessories with the new Find My network accessory program. This will allow customers to use the Find My app to locate other important items in their lives, in addition to their Apple devices. User privacy remains central to the Find My network with end-to-end encryption built-in. A draft specification is available for accessory makers and product manufacturers starting today."
It will be interesting to see if such a program wins over companies like Tile, who have claimed that Apple is playing unfairly in how it treats third-party tracking developers. Apple is also expected to release its own tracking accessory, likely named AirTags, in the near future.
Whether or not the Find My Network Accessory Program creates an even playing ground for all players in the space remains to be seen, but the presence of such a program is a good first step.
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