Losing your luggage is one of the scariest things about traveling, but tracking your lost bag might just get easier.
Many passengers have already started putting tracking devices in their bags so they can check their location themselves.
But airports often don't want to know what trackers are saying or can't do anything about that information.
However, passengers using Apple AirTags may now be able to give third parties access to their tracking information. This will allow airports and airlines to locate lost baggage in real time.
According to reports Apple's new iOS 18.2 operating system will add new third-party sharing options, according to people who saw the beta version.
A new feature in the Find My app will allow users to share the location of their lost items with “an airline or someone they trust,” according to a screenshot posted on the MacRumors forum.
Selecting the “Share item location” option generates a link that allows someone to view the item's location for a set amount of time.
According to the report, the shared link will no longer work if the item is returned or the link sharing expires. Shared links expire after one week, and users can see how many people have accessed them.
It can be opened on non-Apple devices, so people who don't have an iPhone or Mac (such as airline desk or call center staff) can help find lost items.
In addition, users can select “Show contact information” to connect to a lost item from their phone or tablet and open a website with more information about the lost item. This allows others to contact the owner of the issue through a phone number or email address.
