What you need to know
- Apple has released the Tracker Detect app on the Google Play store.
- The app allows Android users to track AirTags.
Apple has made good on its promise to release an Android app for AirTag.
Today, the company released the Tracker Detect app on the Google Play store. The app allows users to scan for an AirTag (or other item trackers) that is currently separated from their actual owner and could be used to track someone without their knowledge.
Tracker Detect looks for item trackers that are separated from their owner and that are compatible with Apple's Find My network. These item trackers include AirTag and compatible devices from other companies. If you think someone is using AirTag or another device to track your location, you can scan to try to find it.
While it is great that Apple released the app before the end of the year as promised, it appears there are some more features needed to bring it up to expectations. The app currently has a 2.3 out of 5 on the store and, according to one user, doesn't have the same features of other item tracker apps released by independent developers:
Not very effective compared to existing AirTag warning tools. The app doesn't do background scans, and shows all AirTags nearby instead of only unknown AirTags. The app also doesn't save previously found AirTag locations, nor does it let you save their serial numbers. It's as if Apple saw the bare minimum they needed to do and managed to do less. 'cmon Apple, do better.
Apple's AirTag was originally released in the spring of 2021 and immediately took on Tile, the known brand for item trackers beforehand.
Bottom line: For iPhone owners, this is the best item tracker on the market right now. With simple pairing and easy-to-use software, AirTags are a kind excellent Apple product of the same vintage as Apple's AirPod family.
