Google's Find My Device Network gets one step closer to launch

Apple and Google have been working on an industry specification to fight the misuse of location-tracking devices for tracking individuals against their wishes. Well, the two companies have just uploaded Version 01 of the industry specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) (via Mishaal Rahman). It suggests that the industry specification is close to release. That means the launch of Google’s Find My Device Network is also imminent.

If you have an Android smartphone or a tablet and an unwanted Apple AirTag is traveling with you, your device will immediately notify you about it. That’s because Google has implemented a custom system in Android for detecting an unwanted AirTag. However, that won’t be the case if you have an iPhone or an iPad and an unwanted tracker, based on Google’s upcoming Find My Device Network, is traveling with you.

That’s because Apple hasn’t implemented a custom system in iOS or iPadOS to detect unwanted trackers based on Google’s upcoming Find My Device Network. Instead, the Cupertino-based tech giant is waiting for the industry specification to be released. Once that happens, it will implement that industry specification in iOS and iPadOS (and other platforms from the company, such as macOS) to detect unwanted trackers.

Now, Google doesn’t want to launch the Find My Device Network until that happens because it doesn’t want people using Apple devices to be unaware if an unwanted location tracker based on the company’s upcoming Find My Device Network is traveling with them. Fortunately, the industry specification is close to release. Once that happens, Apple will add it to the company's platforms, and we’ll soon get to see location trackers based on the Find My Device Network.