Are you really comparing a device that costs hundreds of USD and has a form factor of... A phone, with a device that's supposed to be hooked up to a keychain and that costs 29 USD?
To be fair, it's easy to buy an old working iPhone on eBay for $30. And size is entirely irrelevant if you're putting it in someone's car.
So I think the parent makes a point worthy of discussion. If Apple is providing this protection for Airtags, why aren't they providing it for all devices?
Well, "to be fair", a phone's battery would die in a few days. Airtags are supposed to last for a year.
Why work so hard to pretend these things are the same and therefore deserve to have the same protections applied when it is obvious with a few moments of thought that they are completely different things?
Why are you working so hard to pretend they're completely different when it's obvious from a few moments of thought that tracking is tracking, full stop?
If someone wants to stalk you for a couple of days to find out where you live or work or whatever, what does the difference matter of "a few days" vs a "a year"?
I don't understand why you think this isn't something worth discussing. It's a safety issue worth asking about, no?
I find it truly bizarre that this is being downvoted. Especially on HN which is generally so extremely anti-tracking and pro-privacy.
So I think the parent makes a point worthy of discussion. If Apple is providing this protection for Airtags, why aren't they providing it for all devices?