Apple today announced the launch of its Find My Network Accessory Program, which enables third-party Bluetooth devices to be located right alongside Apple devices in the Find My app.
Apple says the first accessory makers to take advantage of the new Find My integration include Belkin, Chipolo and VanMoof, whose devices will be available starting next week. VanMoof's latest S3 and X3 e-bikes will be integrated with Find My, as will Belkin's Soundform Freedom True Wireless Earbuds and the Chipolo ONE Spot Item Finder. Apple says more third-party manufacturers will soon offer Find My-enabled products and accessories. Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing expressed as follows:
For more than a decade, our customers have relied on Find My to locate their missing or stolen Apple devices while protecting their privacy. Now we're bringing the powerful search capabilities of Find My, one of our most popular services, to even more people with the Find My Network Accessory Program. We're excited to see how Belkin, Chipolo and VanMoof are leveraging this technology and can't wait to see what other partners create.
Apple has a strict set of rules for devices that are part of the Find My Network accessory program.
Third-party accessories in Find My: iOS 14.3 is required
All third-party products must adhere to all Find My Network privacy policies. Participating Find My products will be found in the Items tab and will have a "Works with Apple Find My" badge. Users will be able to see Find My accessories in the Find My app under the Items tab. Third-party accessories can be added to the Find My app on devices running iOS 14.3 and later or macOS Big Sur 11.1 and later. Matching Find My accessories can be tracked on the map. Additionally, there will be an option to play a sound to locate a lost device. Items can be put into Lost Mode, which locks them to an Apple ID and prevents anyone else from pairing them. Products can be linked to a phone number and message in case someone finds them. Users can also receive notifications when an item's location becomes available.
Apple: Chipset manufacturers are also taken into account
Third-party Find My devices can take advantage of the Find My network, which uses crowdsourced data from millions of Apple devices to detect missing devices or items and report an approximate location to the owner. Apple also announced today a draft specification for chipset manufacturers to be released later this spring. It will allow third-party device manufacturers to take advantage of Ultra Wideband technology in U1-equipped Apple devices, such as the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models. U1 integration will enable more precise, direction-aware object tracking. (Image: Apple)
