Apple has released an app called Tracker Detect that, according to the firm, would allow Android users to search for AirTags and other Find My-compatible trackers like the Chipolo One Spot tracking tag. The programme checks for devices that have been separated from their owners, and if it discovers any, it will let you play a sound on it so you can find it, as well as instructions on how to figure out who the AirTag belongs to and disable it if necessary.
This app was unveiled by Apple in June, and it promised to help Android users to detect potentially dangerous trackers that were being employed without their awareness.
However, unlike on iOS, it doesn’t appear like this app will run in the background and inform you if something is wrong – it’s strictly a manual search. Tracker Detect also doesn’t let you keep track of the AirTags associated with an Apple ID, thus it’s useless for Android users who want to use AirTags.
The Verge reached out to Apple for comment, but a spokesperson told CNET that the software “gives Android users the ability to scan for an AirTag or supported Find My enabled item trackers that might be traveling with them without their knowledge. We are raising the bar on privacy for our users and the industry, and hope others will follow.”
Tracker Detect did not up in a Play Store search on our devices for at least two Verge staffers.