Apple is trying to solve one of the most dreaded disadvantages of losing luggage in airline transit: the lack of visibility on where it went missing.
Apple devised a solution to one of the most dreaded yet common incidents of losing luggage during airline transit. The tech giant has launched a new ‘Share Item Location’ feature in the ‘Find My’ app that securely locates Airtags or other network accessories in lost luggage.
To make the solution work, Apple has signed partnerships with various third-party airline services to use their network for location mapping. The feature generates a link to the item’s location that can be shared with the authorities through iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The link’s recipients will be redirected to a website that shows the live location of the lost item on an interactive map.
Apple has onboarded 15 Airline carriers to execute the feature on-ground and will be adding more soon. The partnered organizations will integrate the new feature into their customer service process for locating mishandled or delayed bags from these 15 carriers.
The location tagging feature is unlike the other features in the ‘Find My’ app. Apple confirmed that it has worked directly with the airlines to ensure safety systems are in place and there are no loopholes for malicious intent entities to misuse the technology for their personal benefit.
As part of the safety measure, the generated link will be accessible only to a few people, including the original owner of the item. Recipients will be required to authenticate the location link through their Apple account or Email Address.
“Find My is an essential tool for users around the world to keep track of and find their belongings. The Find My network and AirTag have proven to be a powerful combination for users while traveling, providing invaluable location information when bags have been misplaced or mishandled. With Share Item Location, we’re excited to give users a new way to easily share this information directly with third parties like airlines, all while protecting their privacy,”
-Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue.
According to Apple, the service has already been tested on multiple aspects and is ready to roll out for all users through a new software update. However, the timeline of the new update has not been confirmed, indicating that it may arrive silently.
