The feature is currently available in the beta version of iOS 18.2 and is expected to be released soon as part of the next system update. — Photo by Jonas Elia on Unsplash
BERLIN: The advent of AirTags has made tracking down lost luggage far simpler, and yet one final hurdle to getting your bag back remained: telling the airline where it is so they can get it for you.
Until now, anyone tracking their luggage with one of Apple's Bluetooth tags could see where the lost suitcase was, but passing this location on to the airline was something of a headache.
The tech giant is now partnering with airlines to allow passengers to share a link to the location of their luggage directly to the staff at the airline.
The "share item location" button lets you send a link to third parties, including more than 15 international airlines. Anyone who gets this link can see where the bag is located on an interactive map. Once the bag is found, the link is deactivated, or it automatically expires after seven days.
The feature is currently available in the beta version of iOS 18.2 and is expected to be released soon as part of the next system update.
Small trackers for both Apple and Android phones are manufactured by a number of companies, including Apple, Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security and Pebblebee.
They all work in a similar way, using Bluetooth to wirelessly contact a nearby smartphone and give the tracker's owner a rough location. System compatibility is often the sticking point, particularly for Android users, since because only smartphones with certain apps or approvals can recognise the trackers.
What's special about Apple is that AirTags can only be recognised by iPhones or iPads. However, these are set up to automatically recognise active AirTags and upload their location to the Find My system and report it to the owner.
That means the network of potential devices that can track your AirTag is relatively large. The more Apple users in one place, the better the network works.
The full list of airlines set to accept AirTag links: Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, United, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling. – dpa/Tribune News Service
