iOS 17.5 may bring in a new feature to help prevent stalking

You may remember Apple had started a partnership with Google, to address the issue of stalking using tracking accessories such as AirTags. Well, it seems the company is finally going to be rolling out these measures via the iOS 17.5 update. Here’s all you need to know.

Anti-stalking feature on iOS 17.5: What it is and how it works

9to5Mac reported that it found traces of anti-stalking features on the iOS 17.5 beta, released to developers just yesterday. It turns out that the Find My app will now allow users to identify tracking accessories keeping tabs on their devices, even if the former is not Apple certified. That’s not all, though. The feature will also allow users to disable these tracking devices too.

ALSO READ: 5 ways to use AirTags when you’re heading for a holiday

AirTags, and other similar devices such as the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 have been reported to be used for stalking in the past, raising serious concerns about their utility. Now, iPhones do have the ability to alert you when it finds that an AirTag is tracking you. The movement the Find My app detects an AirTag in close proximity, it sends an alert on your iPhone saying “AirTag found moving with you.” This usually happens when an AirTag is separated from any one of the six users it is registered to, and when your iPhone is awake.

However, the only limitation was that iPhones could track only AirTags up until now, and even then, one couldn’t disable them from their end. That’s all set to change with iOS 17.5 however. Just how effectively the feature will work however, only time will tell.

How AirTags work

For the unaware, AirTags can be attached to any of your belongings such as your phone, your wallet, keys, luggage, and more, and be used to track them, in the unlikely event that you lose them. Bear in mind though, AirTags primarily rely on Bluetooth connectivity, the maximum range of which happens to be 33 feet or 10 meters.

ALSO READ: How a man recovered his stolen car using an AirTag

However, that raises the question of what one can do when their belongings, to which the AirTag is attached, go out of this range. Well, in this case, the Find My app can be used to figure out the general area one’s belongings are in. Once back in range, users can make use of Bluetooth to bring them closer still. Following that, users can employ the short-range ultra-wideband capabilities on their iPhones to pinpoint the exact location of the AirTag.