Apple has announced three improvements to the Find My network, coming in iOS 15.
- #1 Warning if you forget your device
- #2 Search my also for erased and offline devices
- #3 Widget for Find My Items
#1 Warning if you forget your device
One of the criticisms of the AirTag is that you are not warned if you leave your bag or key ring somewhere. After you leave, you may not find out until an hour later that your key ring is somewhere else. In iOS 15, that's a thing of the past, as you can get a warning if you're too far away from your iPhone, MacBook, AirTag, or other device. Trackers from other brands such as Tile and Chipolo already had this option. With Tile you have to pay for it, however, and with Chipolo it's only in the standard trackers, not in the special Find My version.
The new feature makes it harder to accidentally throw stuff around. These so-called ‘separation alerts’ make a sound when you are far enough away from a device. You can also use it for third party accessories that use the Find My network. You need to enable this per accessory and device by using the ‘Notify When Left Behind’ to turn on. You can also set location-based exceptions, for example on an iPad that is usually at home. You only want a notification if you left the iPad elsewhere, but not every time you leave the house without an iPad.
While it will work for all devices trackable with Find My, it will be especially useful for iPhones, MacBooks, and AirTags.
#2 Find My also for wiped and offline devices
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Also new in iOS 15 is that you can find devices that have been disabled or wiped. This is useful for a stolen iPhone or if a lost iPhone has a low battery. Apple hasn't explained how the feature works yet, but it will likely show the last seen location on the map.
Also, the Find My network can now see lost devices after they've been wiped. This only works if the activation lock is active and the device is still registered on your Apple ID. Previously it was the case that erasing the device was not recommended, because then you are no longer able to request the location. To prevent your stolen iPhone from being sold by a malicious person, the opening screen clearly states that the device is locked, discoverable and still belongs to someone else.
#3 Widget for Find My Items
You can now keep an eye on all personal items via a widget on your home screen. You can also see where friends are hanging out without opening the Find My app. Find My gets its own widget in iOS 15, which works for people and items. Good news is that from watchOS 8 you can also search for your AirTag via the Apple Watch. Previously this only worked for individuals.
iOS 15 gets even more widgets, including contacts, sleep, Game Center, App Store and Mail. You can also use these widgets on the home screen of your iPad from iPadOS 15. Also nice to know: when you update your device to iOS 15, a default layout will be generated with the apps you use most. They appear in a Smart Stack. There are also new intelligent suggestions for widgets.
More about iOS 15
iOS 15 is the major update for the iPhone and iPod touch. If you want to know whether your iPhone is suitable for iOS 15, you will find the answer in our article. We expect the official iOS 15 release in September/October 2021. Find out what else was announced during the keynote in our WWDC 2021 recap!