Developer APIs for AirTag integrat… | Apple Developer Forums

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I'm very excited about the new AirTag product and am wondering if there will be any new APIs introduced in iOS 14.5+ to allow developers to build apps around them outside the context of the Find My network?

The contexts in which I am most excited about using AirTags are:

Gaming
Health / Fitness-focused apps
Accessibility features
Musical and other creative interactions within apps

I haven't been able to find any mention of APIs. Thanks in advance for any information that is shared here.

Alexander

26k

Posted by

alexander

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Just following the subject. I'm interested in such API as well.

—
Tania Berezovsky
Hopefully the Nearby Interaction Framework will support Air-tags soon.

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louisyip1113
Following.....lots of possibilities here if access to API with geo location info (keeping in mind privacy laws).

—
ematt70

Replies

I would love to know about this as well. The AirTag opens a whole new bag of possible interactions.

Posted by

SixthSensor

yeah could we get a Unity plugin

Posted by

acomagu

This. Would love to have access to some public developer API for AirTag. This could open a lot of possibilities for developers.
Can't wait for Apple developer response. Hopefully we could get something during WWDC 21?

Posted by

nakkht

Hopefully the Nearby Interaction Framework will support Air-tags soon.

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/nearbyinteraction

Posted by

vandenbrakel

Yes, I've been wanting to create a haptic feedback app for visually impaired people to move around inside a room and this would be perfect. Apple, please consider opening up the Airtags to be discoverable by MultipeerConnectivity so that developers can use NearbyInteraction.

Posted by

mgagnon

I love to see support for UWB in HomeKit. It can be great for the localization of users in rooms with the use of HomePod.

Posted by

Pelski

1 from me for adding UWB to the nearbyinteraction...

Keep safe.

Posted by

Grovesy

Is this planned?

Posted by

me_at_mgagnon

I'd also like to see an API or information on the Bluetooth profiles. Most Bluetooth devices have a GATT profile like a speed and cadence GATT profile on a speed sensor. The Airtag product documentation says it has an accelerometer, so could it be used as a magnetless speed sensor for bikes like Wahoo's speed sensor. It looks like Airtags could be used to track your bike's location for security and track speed for ride tracking instead of having multiple devices strapped all over the bike.

Posted by

tshippy

Just following the subject cause I’ve got my hands on it and it’ll be nice to have a dev documentation about it! 👀

Posted by

ShannaX

Hi, I'm also interested in this topic. Any update from WWDC?

Posted by

sergio.mascetti

Following

Posted by

multi_plex

Would love to get some kind of AirTag API !

Posted by

nadavdor

Is there any update on the API for AirTag interaction in apps

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Christian_66

Putting aside the fact that AIrTag support would be an obvious addition to the capability of the Nearby Interaction framework, I find it obnoxious that Apple has chosen not to address this in the documentation. I mean really? Going out of your way to support third-party UWB devices, and as far as I know such devices don't even exist at this point, but also to fail to share the roadmap for AirTag support. Very unfriendly way to interact with your developer community.

I guess we're put in the position of reading tea leaves. Presumably if support for AirTags is going to come, it will almost certainly be implemented around the same interface as that for third-party devices. That only makes things even more aggrevating that a specific timeline is not offered. Or is the Apple manufactured UWB device (AirTag) for some reason becoming a "closed feature", so that Apple can leverage this hardware to add great features to THEIR apps while exiling us developers to the empty desert of third-party devices?

As a side note, I was grossly surprised when I bought a brand-new iPad to find that it didn't include the U1. I mean really, why oh why would that be the case? Not enough space for it? Don't want a cheap chip to push the price over a whopping $1099? I actually started developing against the framework for an iPad app and was mystified why it wasn't working before I found out that it was left out.

Posted by

robreuss

We would be more then happy to develop solutions that use airtags to help healthcare keep people with Alzheimer's, Dementia... safe and let be aware of their unexpected location changes. Would be awesome to be able to get estimated geo location by API call like in the Find My.

We know privacy is more than important, but there is some crucials use cases where this feature could be a "life saver/changer". Other dedicated solutions does exists, but the actual popularity of Apple products is a huge advantage in dense population area that make tracking of assets easier without the need to use GPS signal, dedicated infrastructure or require to install specific apps.

The world is a lot better when humans connect, share and create together ! We're ready to contribute ! And you ?

Posted by

Simon_Rousseau