Apple announces a major iOS 18.2 update: you will now be able to share the location of your AirTag with other people and a feature for airlines is coming soon.
Tl;dr
- AirTag location sharing on iOS 18.2
- Collaboration with 15 airlines to find lost luggage
- Launch planned in the coming months
Apple's new solution for lost luggage
Apple has unveiled a major new feature in the public beta of iOS 18.2. It allows you to share the location of your AirTag with other users. Baptized Share Item Locationthis function could be useful in the event of loss of your luggage during a trip, by sharing its location with the airline.
A valuable tool for travelers
The addition of Share Item Location, revealed by Apple in a press release, will make it possible to create a link with the Find My application on an iPhone, iPad or Mac. This link can then be shared with someone who can click on it to view a map showing the location of the missing item. The feature can be disabled manually or the link will “automatically expire after seven days.”
Privacy at the heart of functionality
If the object moves, the map will update and display a date and time of the last motion detection. Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Services at Apple, highlights the importance of this feature in helping users find their stuff while maintaining their privacy. “With Share Item Location, we're excited to offer users a new way to easily share this information with third parties like airlines, while protecting their privacy. »
A global deployment to come
The Share Item Location feature is already available for those with access to the iOS 18.2 beta in most regions around the world. Apple also plans to collaborate with 15 airlines, including Delta, United, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada and British Airways. Each company will be able to “privately and securely accept” the links shared by travelers. The ability to share with airlines will be available in the “coming months”.
