Apple is developing new iCloud-connected hardware to help users find their wallets, keys and more, according to a new report on Wednesday.
Sources speaking to 9to5Mac say the company is developing a device akin to the Bluetooth-based Tile trackers, but using tech similar to how iPhone owners currently keep tabs on the AirPods headphones.
Those tags will be paired with an iCloud account and users will be able to set up notifications whenever the tagged device leaves their proximity, which is helpful if you have a habit of leaving the house without a wallet.
Interestingly, users will be able to load the tag with their contact information, so it can be picked up by other Apple devices when placed in lost mode. This could create a vast lost and found network that enlists all registered iOS or macOS devices to keep tabs on each other’s tags and devices.
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According to there report, the hardware is currently being built under the codename “B389” and will arrive as part of a wider revamp of the Find My Friends and Find My iPhone features sitting within iOS.
The sources say it’ll be a unified app that will combine all of the above features, and build in a new feature called Find Network, which will devices to be tracked even if the user isn’t connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.
Today’s report adds that the unified app will make it possible to find all devices, including AirPods and those owned by family members within the application that’s likely to debut in iOS 13.
There was no word of a potential launch for the hardware tag, but it’s possible Apple could launch the tags alongside the next-gen iPhones in September this year.
Would you buy an Apple tag to keep tabs on all of your important bits and bobs? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
