Apple announced you could now use the Find My app to discover the location of your third-party accessories ahead of the launch of its much-anticipated AirTags.
Talks about Apple AirTags have been ongoing for some time now. There were rumors about Apple launching the product along with other devices last year, though this did not happen. This year, however, is different, as Apple gets ready to launch the much-anticipated AirTags sometime within 2021. To indicate that the product is indeed set for launch this year, Apple announced during the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2021 that fans could now use their devices' Find My app to discover the location of their third-party accessories.
#CES2021: #Apple starts allowing third-parties to join the Find My app ahead of #AirTags launch https://t.co/HgTGw9090f pic.twitter.com/phfAS84JPN — AppleInsider (@appleinsider) January 11, 2021
For those who are unaware, CES 2021 will run from January 11 to 14, 2021, though several pre-show events where companies like Samsung, Sony, and LG revealed details about products they intend to showcase at the event, already preceded the official days of the CES event. For its part, Apple took the opportunity to announce to fans that they could now use the Find My app when looking for their third-party accessories. The Cupertino tech giant, however, did not specify the actual launch of the AirTags, though rumors say it might happen in the spring or most likely during the second half of 2021.
The Find My app is among the default software on iOS 14. Apple says you can use it to find your family and friends, as long as they share with you their location. Items like your iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro show their whereabouts in the app, allowing you to locate the objects easily in case you misplace them. If the device is nearby, the Find My app will show it as close by. Depending on the device, you can play a sound so it would be easier for you to find its exact location. While Find My app is originally limited to Apple devices, the Cupertino tech giant launched its Find My Accessory Program last year to certify non-Apple accessories. Today, Apple announces you can now use the app to find third-party accessories, though the announcement did not give any indication as to the date of the AirTags launch.
Among the first accessories to benefit from the feature includes the latest Belkin SoundForm Pro true wireless earbuds. The third-party accessory will show themselves natively in the Find My App in the same manner as Apple devices. Devices reported as lost will also benefit greatly as aside from showing their location in the Find My app, it will send you its location through notification whenever another iOS owner comes near the lost item. Apart from the announcement of Apple that users can now use the Find My app to detect the location of third-party accessories, it did not provide any hint as to the launch of the much-anticipated AirTags. The company also did not specify as to the iOS 14 needed to activate third-party support.
