When iOS 13 was announced in late 2019, Apple merged the Find My iPhone and Find My Friends app into one, and simply called it Find My. It allowed their users to find their friends (if they shared their location with the user) but more importantly, it tracks their lost devices even without WiFi or LTE connection.
Now, Apple is extending this nifty feature into products under their Made For iPhone (MFi) program, allowing other items outside of the Apple brand to be found with the app.
Manufacturers that wants to have their products connected to the Find My network must adhere to the privacy protections of Apple. Just like all MFi devices, those that will be compatible with the app will have a “Works with Apple Find My” badge.
Belkin’s SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds is one of the first third-party products to work with the Find My app. With the brand having local presence, you can expect to have it in your nearby stores sometime soon. Other newly launched products that work with the Find My app include VanMoof’s latest S3 and X3 e-bikes and the Chipolo ONE Spot item finder.
“For more than a decade, our customers have relied on Find My to locate their missing or stolen Apple devices, all while protecting their privacy,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Now we’re bringing the powerful finding capabilities of Find My, one of our most popular services, to more people with the Find My network accessory program.”
The Find My app allows users to locate their lost Apple devices and now, including compatible third-party devices. Users can put them in Lost Mode to lock them immediately, or erase the device if it cannot be found anymore. It also utilizes the Find My network which uses Bluetooth technology to find lost devices nearby and if they find one, the finder can report it to the owner – all in an encrypted way.
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