INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Whoops! Apple inadvertently revealed the existence of an unreleased product, AirTags, in a support video uploaded to its YouTube account
The video, &How to erase your iPhone,& offers a tutorial about resetting an iPhone to factory settings
Around the 1:43 mark, it instructs users to turn off &Find my iPhone& as part of the process
On the Settings page that then appears, another option for &Enable Offline Finding& is shown, and beneath that, the text references AirTags
by name.
Specifically, it says: &Offline finding enables this device and AirTags to be found when not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.
The
discovery was first spotted by the eagle-eyed blog Appleosophy.
Apple has since pulled the video
(A copy of the video is embedded below.)
AirTags, essentially Apple Tile competitor, were already known to be in the works
Based on details and assets found in Apple iOS code, AirTags are believed to be small tracking tiles with Bluetooth connectivity that can be
used to find lost items — just like Tile.
The difference is that Apple AirTags will benefit from deeper integration with iOS, including
There, the tags will show up in a new &Items& tab allowing you to keep track of items that tend to get lost or stolen — like your keys,
wallet or even your bike.
According to reports from MacRumors, the tags will feature a removable CR2032 coin cell battery, also similar to
Tile.
Apple intention to copy Tile concept has not gone unnoticed by Tile.
The company on Wednesday told a congressional panel that Apple
anticompetitive behavior has &gotten worse, not better.
During the hearing, Tile referenced Apple plans to integrate its own product into
Tile and other Bluetooth trackers won''t be able to do the same
They also have to ask for background location access repeatedly, while Apple AirTags, presumably, will not
That gives Apple own product an advantage as it owns the platform.
Apple has been asked for
comment.
https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/y2mate.com-How-to-erase-your-iPhone-—-Apple-Support_yuPRumjk0kw_1080p.mp4
Imag
e credits: Apple, via YouTube; MacRumors
