Tile is promising satellite connectivity for its Bluetooth trackers in a move that could boost the company as an independent alternative to its Big Tech rivals: Apple’s Find My network and Google’s newly revamped Find My Device network.
Life360, the family locator and safety service company that bought Tile in 2021 announced a partnership with the satellite company Hubble Network as it introduces “Find with Life360,” a global location tracking network rival with an API that’s open for use by other developers. They say that using Hubble’s satellites, Tile trackers will eventually be able to find items on both Android and iPhone devices even outside the range of cellular connectivity.
Hubble says it has two satellites operating already, with plans to launch 94 more satellites into orbit by 2028. Tile the Find with Life360 network will be compatible with the forthcoming Tile Pro and Tile Slim, which are due for launch in the second half of 2024.
The expanded range of Life360’s network still leaves questions about safety and privacy that have arisen around Bluetooth tracking devices. Life360 exited the business of selling precise user location data in 2022, but a proposed class action lawsuit was filed against the company last year, claiming it failed to get consent before selling data. Last year, stalking victims later filed a class action lawsuit accusing Life360 of failing to implement useful safety features and launching advertising campaigns that encouraged stalking.
In 2023, Tile launched “Scan and Secure” as an anti-stalking feature so users can see if there are any Tile trackers nearby. However, you have the option of disabling the tech, “thereby intentionally thwarting any recourse or protection a potential victim might have,” according to the complaint.
Our testing in 2022 showed how devices like AirTags could be misused. However, Apple has at least rolled out some meaningful improvements, with louder sound alerts and iPhone notifications when an AirTag is moving with somebody besides its owner, and today, Apple and Google announced they’ve launched support for a new industry specification, Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers, that works across both iOS and Android.