When it comes to GPS tracker for car, AirTags are not compatible at all. Tracking a car is entirely different from tracking lost things around your house or neighborhood. Car moves fast and keeps on moving but your AirTags will take a considerable amount of time to update the location.
To set up an AirTag, you need to enable Bluetooth on your iPhone, which means that the tracking device relies on Bluetooth connectivity, at least when in proximity. This means that the AirTag needs to be within 33 feet or 10 meters, because that is the maximum Bluetooth range of an iPhone.
If someone happens to put an Apple AirTag in your car or on your person, your iPhone will let you know. A push notification will alert you that an “AirTag is found moving with you.” When you tap the notification, a map will appear, and you can see when the AirTag was first detected traveling with you.
Apple AirTags have a longer battery life and way more affordable price tag than our favorite GPS trackers. But AirTags really have no other features besides location tracking. GPS trackers usually have geofencing alerts and scheduled location updates, whereas AirTags only show their location on demand.
Apple has built-in certain protections to discourage unwanted tracking, but it's still possible for someone to slip an AirTag into your bag or car without your consent and track your location.
If you someone has placed an AirTag on your car or in your purse, iOS users will get a notification that an unknown AirTag is tracking them. "It will alert you on your phone that an AirTag has been traveling with you.
Hard-wired GPS trackers are connected directly to the vehicle's electrical system. Like plug and play devices, you can covertly plug in a hard-wired GPS tracker into the dashboard to conceal it. Other options include installing it in the bumper, underneath the vehicle, or under the brake light cover.
How does it work? Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the location of your AirTag to iCloud — then you can go to the Find My app and see it on a map.
Unlike the security features available for the iPhone, the Android app does not automatically look for unknown AirTags. Users must initiate the scan.
Use Tracker Detect on Android to scan for AirTags
No Apple ID account is required. Just hit Scan and search for nearby AirTags. After downloading Tracker Detect, turn on Bluetooth, open the application, agree to the terms and conditions, and tap the blue Scan button to search for nearby items.
How often does AirTag refresh locations? AirTag updates its location information periodically, even if it hasn't detected a new location every one or two minutes. In Lost Mode, Airtag updates its location whenever it detects any nearby iOS devices and updates the owner accordingly.
Utilizing Apple's Find My network, an AirTag can work offline and track your child as long as they are within proximity of any Apple device. Additionally, the Find My network uses end-to-end encryption, which means no one else will be able to see the identity of the participating devices.
The best place to put an AirTag in the car is to hide it concealed within the car, including in the glove box and in a compartment in the boot.
Airtags can work without Wi-Fi using Bluetooth Low Energy(BLE) technology. AirTags use Apple's Find My network, which is a crowdsourced network of millions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
One way to find a GPS tracker is to use a bug detector that can scan both the inside and outside of a vehicle. It is also possible to physically detect a GPS tracker in known locations, such as in the OBD port, under the backseat or underneath the car.
It will typically look like a small box with a magnetic side. It may or may not have an antenna or a light on it. It will be small, usually three to four inches long, two inches wide and an inch or so thick. Be sure you have a flashlight for peeking into dark spaces in your car.
What is Apple AirTag's range? AirTags need to be within about 10 metres of an iPhone or other device in the Find My network for its Bluetooth signal to register.
If you can't find your AirTag because it really is too far away and it hasn't been pinged by anyone else, then the next best option is to put it into Lost Mode. In this mode you'll be notified as soon as a compatible device comes within range of the tag. To enable Lost Mode: Open the Find My App.
Are Apple AirTags worth it? If you already use Apple devices like an iPhone and are looking for an affordable solution to help keep track of high-value items like your keys, wallet, backpack, etc., then, yes, AirTags will most likely be worth it to you.
In most states, if you own the car jointly with your spouse or the car is your sole property, it's probably legal to place a tracking device in the car. However, if you install a GPS tracking system in a car that isn't yours, you may expose yourself to a lawsuit for invasion of privacy.
What is the best way to track my car? Use a GPS tracker. OBD-II port-powered trackers provide the most data and get power from the vehicle, so they don't have to be recharged. But they can easily be disabled if they're unplugged.
That way they can find out where it's kept, so they can drop by and try to take it later (usually at night). The thieves using AirTags to steal cars are usually part of organised gangs with some quite sophisticated tricks up their sleeves. This includes reprogramming cars to accept different keys.