Apple’s Safari browser contains a shortcut that opens an ‘Items’ page in the company’s Find My app on iPhones, iPads and Macs.
Spotted by David Chu, who posted screenshots to Twitter, and reported by MacRumors, the shortcut allows users to access a part of the Find My app long associated with Apple’s rumoured AirTags product. MacRumors says it first found the Find My Items page in 2019, and it’s been part of the app since then, although not accessible to any except Apple registered developers.
Typing findmy://items into Safari will take you to this hidden UI in Find My! pic.twitter.com/CakKBGEuNh
— David Van Chu (@davidvanchu) January 13, 2021
Likely, the app page would become available in a future update corresponding with the AirTags release. However, Chu found that by typing ‘findmy://items’ into the address bar on Safari, the browser would link users into the Find My app. The browser shortcut works on iOS or iPadOS 14.3, as well as macOS 11.1.
Unfortunately, the UI doesn’t really work at the moment — it would require the AirTags hardware that Apple has yet to release. However, the UI’s continued existence suggests Apple still plans to launch AirTags.
The interface also provides some detail about how AirTags will work. For example, users will be able to keep track of items by attaching AirTags to them, then use the Find My app to see where those items are. Interestingly, Find My mentions finding “accessories or other items that are compatible.” According to MacRumors, Apple confirmed at WWDC 2020 that Find My would support third-party products and accessories — the descriptive text confirms that’s still the case.
Tapping the ‘Add Item’ or ‘Identify Found Item’ buttons open searching screens. Presumably, these interfaces would be used to add an AirTag to your Find My app or identify an item possibly lost by someone else.
Perhaps Apple will launch its AirTags sometime in 2021. Rumours about the Bluetooth tracking devices have swirled for years, but the product never materialized last year.
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