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 Apple Opens "Find My" Crowdsourcing to Third-Party Accessories (For Real This
                                     Time!)

   Josh Centers

   Last July, Glenn Fleishman reported that Apple was officially opening
   up its Find My service to third-party accessory makers (see '[1]Apple
   Opens 'Find My' Crowdsourcing to Third-Party Accessories,' 9 July
   2020), with the capability expected in late 2020. In Apple's
   now-typical stylishly late fashion, [2]Find My is finally available to
   third-party developers.

   The first devices in the new program are Vanmoof's [3]S3 and [4]X3
   e-bikes, Belkin's [5]Soundform Freedom wireless earbuds, and the
   [6]Chipolo One item finder. Being part of the Find My network is an
   extension of Apple's Made for iPhone program, and each approved device
   must meet Apple's standards for privacy.

   What this means is that you can track more than just iPhones, iPads,
   Apple Watches, and AirPods (plus your Apple-using friends) with the
   Find My app. Any compatible device can be tracked, like your e-bike or
   earbuds. The Chipolo One addition is especially interesting since you
   can attach one to pretty much anything, like backpacks, keys, remote
   controls, your car, etc.

   Apple has also announced that it will be releasing a draft
   specification in the coming weeks that will let chipset makers tap into
   the U1 Ultra Wideband chips in newer iPhones, which will allow for more
   precise and directionally aware location data.

   No mention was made of the long-rumored AirTags, a wireless tracker
   like [7]Tile that Apple has reportedly been working on for years. We
   wouldn't be surprised to learn that Apple opening up Find My
   crowdsourcing is laying the groundwork for such a product. We also hope
   the rumored next-generation Apple TV remote includes this technology,
   because Apple remotes are notoriously slippery and easy to lose.

   Would the addition of Find My compatibility make you more likely to
   consider buying a device that supported it? Are there any devices in
   particular that you hope incorporate Find My compatibility?

References

   Visible links
   1. https://tidbits.com/2020/07/09/apple-opens-find-my-crowdsourcing-to-third-party-accessories/
   2. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/apples-find-my-network-now-offers-new-third-party-finding-experiences/
   3. https://www.vanmoof.com/en/s3
   4. https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/x3
   5. https://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-AUC002/
   6. https://chipolo.net/en-us/products/chipolo-one
   7. https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/

   Hidden links:
   8. https://tidbits.com/wp/../uploads/2021/04/Find-My-third-parties.jpg

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