Two of the largest tech giants have come together to release a new industry standard addressing the unwanted tracking issues of portable Bluetooth devices. The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple and the Alphabet-owned search giant Google have joined hands to devise the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers (DULT) standard Bluetooth tracker and smartphones.
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DULT – The New Standard For Prevention Against Unwanted Bluetooth Trackers
“Apple and Google have worked together to create an industry specification – Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers (DULT) – for Bluetooth tracking devices that make it possible to alert users across both iOS and Android” if a device is used to track them. While Apple is integrating the feature in iOS 17.5, Google is launching it for Android 6.0+ devices.
Users Will Receive A Notification If A Tracker Is Found Traveling With Them
As the new Unwanted Location Tracker reaches more users, they will get a “[Item] Found Moving With You” notification on their device if an unknown Bluetooth tracking device is seen moving with them over time. More importantly, the feature will work regardless of the operating system it is paired with.
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DULT Works With Both iOS And Android Devices
For example, if you’re using an Android phone, you should, theoretically, get an unwanted tracker notification if an AirTag is seen moving with you over a certain duration. Similarly, iPhone users should be able to determine if a compatible Bluetooth tracker is traveling with them. “It’s possible the tracker is attached to an item the user is borrowing, but if not, iPhone can view the tracker’s identifier,” says the official press release.
Further, users can play a sound to locate the tracker and access instructions to disable it. Third-party Bluetooth tag manufacturers, like Chipolo, Eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebble Bee, have promised to include compatibility with their next-generation devices. Other companies like Samsung and Tile have also committed to supporting the standard.
While this is the first collaboration of its kind, it will make users’ lives easier, especially since the cases of unwanted tracking using tiny Bluetooth trackers have been on the rise. Initially, Apple launched the AirTag without unwanted tracking prevention for Android users. However, it rolled out an update to the device, fixing the issue with an Android app. In July 2023, Google also rolled out support for detecting AirTags traveling with Android users.
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