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by uzyn 502 days ago
Impressive. Would Apple be able to simply block non-Apple usage of Find My network usage simply by refusing to relay non-Apple BLE ID?
2 comments
malmeloo 502 days ago
No, the BLE identities of these tags are currently practically indistinguishable from original tags, and could be made completely identical if necessary. In fact, changing the device's MAC address is part of the specification. What they could block, is the method used by these projects to fetch encrypted location reports. However, the original OpenHaystack project (this one) needs to run on macOS and lets the system handle account authentication, so it's unlikely to get blocked any time soon.
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oulipo 502 days ago
There's also projects that don't need access to macOS (you still need an account) https://github.com/malmeloo/FindMy.py

EDIT: just realized I'm replying to the author of the project lol

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Brajeshwar 502 days ago
If I remember correctly, Apple was supposed to openly accept and encourage others to leverage their network and make more “AirTag” capable devices.
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denysvitali 502 days ago
Yes, because they get a commission for every device registered on the network.

In the join process, there is a key that is shared only for developers who paid the fee - which is why it's not really trivial to create an AirTag clone without dumping the Apple AirTag flash

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heywire 502 days ago
A quick search on Amazon shows a number of generic trackers compatible with “Find My”. In fact, the one on my dog’s collar is one of these.
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