Google could be looking to develop their own version of the AirTag
The concept of Bluetooth trackers aren’t new as companies like Tile have been around for quite a while, but suffice to say that interest in such accessories kind of exploded when Apple launched their own version in the form of the AirTag.
Now according to the latest report from Kuba Wojciechowski, it seems that Google is looking to create something of their own. The tracker from Google, which is codenamed “Grogu”, is said to be in development right now and that the Nest team is the one that will be developing the product and that it could launch in a variety of colors.
Google is working on a smart tracker similar to Apple's AirTag, codename "grogu" – report 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/8K6KO7tfzj
— Kuba Wojciechowski⚡ (@Za_Raczke) January 16, 2023
Not much is known about the device right now, but one potential feature is that it could come with a built-in speaker. Presumably this would be utilized the same way as the AirTag, where the speaker could be used to alert users to its presence when trying to locate the item attached to the tracker, or used to notify users when a rogue tracker is on their person where it might be used to track their location without their knowledge or permission.
While Apple’s AirTags have found commercial success and there have been many stories of people locating their lost/stolen items, it has also come with a bunch of criticisms where there have been multiple reports of the accessory being abused to invade the privacy of others. It will be interesting to see if Google will be able to deal with these issues if they ever launch their own tracker, so we’ll just have to wait and see.