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Comment by gonzo41 | Hacker News Reader

They could NOT sell the tech. It's a choice.

It's already being sold by other companies. The cat has been out of the bag for years, you're just being notified. Don't attack the messenger.

Isn't the major difference that it's built into iOS, whereas stuff like Tile requires other people to have that app installed?

It's not like these devices have GPS installed, they're reliant on devices around them to do the reporting.

You can buy devices with GPS and cellular data.

True! I believe the unique paring here with the Apple tags is that the device is very small and piggybacks off of iPhones, and has a year+ battery. I don't believe GPS + cell devices can get there on the battery department, but I might be wrong.

Putting something in someone's car once is a lot easier than putting something in someone's car and then recharging it once every couple of days.

You can write firmware that puts it in a low power state (like the airtags) when it isn't broadcasting. My custom door-unlocker uses bluetooth and wifi, it has a single 18650 battery and lasts about a year (with locking/unlocking daily) before needing to be recharged. I assume if you didn't have a giant servo, you could wire up a modem and it'd easily last years on a single charge, checking in every 10-15 minutes. It wouldn't be as small and inconspicuous as an airtag though.

Having to use both gps and cellular instead of just Bluetooth uses MUCH more power

You can cut power to those systems if you’re not actively using them. Especially if you don’t have any command/control.

You're still not going to get a year of battery life.

The unique part is that it’s Apple. These devices have been on the market for years, it’s only now that Apple has made one that it’s a problem.

Not sure why you're getting downvoted. Amazon has small GPS trackers that are not much bigger than an AirTag.

Other companies sold trackers which could already use every single iphone/ipad in existence to track their whereabouts???? That's complete news to me. Can you name any of them??

Chipolo does

Samsung Trackers might have even more devices than Apple does

Tile

Tile and Chipolo added that functionality only after Apple released the AirTag and allowed 3rd parties to use their network(again, that's a concious choice, that's something they allowed and that they can be blamed for).

Samsung Trackers work only with some of their phones - there is absolutely no chance in hell that Samsung sold more of those than Apple has sold iphones globally. I'll eat my own hat if they did.

The technology already existed, and people could use it.

Apple AirTags make it popular so now people will be more careful.

Despite the abuse I think the education on the technology is a net benefit.

The tech is simple enough that many others have released it already and it provides a lot of benefit to the world. I'm glad they put consideration in to how it could be abused and think the world is net better off with airtags.

The problematic tech is not AirTags. It is that every iPhone unwittingly participates in a global network to help “stalk” the AirTag. The ubiquitous distribution of iPhones is the part that makes this successful and scary.

Tile or samsung for example wouldn’t be as accurate

So much this. AirTags are superior to alternatives due to the massive network of devices. No other similar solution out there does it. None has the same reach.

It was very much a choise made by Apple to build and release it. Technology is not neutral.

That’s not problematic. That’s literally the value add.

It's both

The tech existed already and it was cheaper. Airtags just ripped off existing technology without substantially improving it, while causing a privacy/security nightmare that none of the other devices ever caused.

But hey if you want to spend 80$ for something that was already available 2 years ago for 40$ you go ahead.

Without improving it? The findmy-network is the improvement that makes these devices actually worth something, compared to the small number of devices in the tile network. How is this a privacy/security nightmare, when you literally get audible notifications and notifications on your phone when you are being tracked.

And how do you come up with these random price estimates, AirTags are available for under 40 and not for 80 usd. My god you’re full of yourself.

The price I found was for a 4 pack (100€), my bad.

> How is this a privacy/security nightmare, when you literally get

Did you even read the article?

I may be full of myself, but you seem to take personal offense over an apple product. That's basically shilling and frankly pathetic, unless you get paid for it.

No need to get all defensive for the poor airtag, just explain why you think I'm wrong. Like the fruit company needs your protection anyway.

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