Samsung wants to make sure nobody’s tracking you with its SmartTags

Samsung has announced that customers will soon be able to scan for unknown Galaxy SmartTags trackers using Samsung’s SmartThings Find service. The feature, called Unknown Tag Search, will be coming to the SmartThings app starting next week.

Users will be able to scan the nearby area for any SmartTags that don’t belong to them but that are moving along with them. This feature could be a big win for safety, providing an easy way to make sure that nobody’s tracking you with a tiny SmartTag that they slipped in your backpack, purse, coat pocket, etc. It’s a nice feature if you’re concerned about the privacy or security implications of Tile-like tracking devices.

Samsung also announced that its assistant, Bixby, will gain the ability to find SmartTags. If you’ve placed a SmartTag on a certain item and named it, you’ll be able to use Bixby to find that tag. For example, if you’ve got a SmartTag on your keys, you could say “hi Bixby, where are my keys?” and it will set off the tag’s ringer.

Apple currently has a feature similar to Unknown Tag Search in the iOS 14.5 beta, and it seems like it would be a natural fit for the company’s long-rumored AirTags item trackers. The company is hosting its “Spring Loaded” event tomorrow, so perhaps we’ll see Apple officially unveil its rumored competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTags.