Disclaimer: I'm posting this in this non-Apple group, because this is
about using an Apple device in a non-Apple environment and several
people in this group have a mixed (non-Apple/Apple) environment. Also I
don't want to engage any Apple-bashers, nor any Apple-zealots.

I have bought an Apple AirTag [1] to use (only) for (lost) luggage
tracking. It has already been set up in the Apple environment of a
(close) relative and is working. So she can try to locate our luggage,
in case it's lost.

I used my relative's help, because I was led to believe that one needs
at least one Apple device to be able to do the setup and tracking, i.e.
an iPhone, an iPad or a Mac.

But the 'geek' in me investigated further and as far as I can tell,
one could use a browser on any device, so also a non-Apple device, to do
the tracking. (Not sure about setting up the AirTag. More about that
part later.)

What makes me think that?

The AirTag webpage (<https://www.apple.com/airtag>) points to the
Find My 'app' (<https://www.apple.com/icloud/find-my>), but AFAICT,
'Find My' is not only an 'app'/program (on iPhone, iPad and Mac), but
also a *web service*, because the page says

"Find your stuff on iCloud.com"

which is a link to <https://www.icloud.com/find>, which is the
'iCloud Find My iPhone' *website*.

It says 'iCloud Find My iPhone', but I think it means also other Apple
devices like iPads and AirTags. Correct?

The site asks for an Apple ID, which I don't have, but AFAICT anyone
can get an Apple ID (at least me, owner of an AirTag). Correct?

So if the answer to both questions is 'yes', the only remaining issue
is, can I setup/configure/register/<whatever it's called> the AirTag
without having/using another Apple device?

If so, my relative could 'de-register' my AirTag from her environment
and I could set it up in my non-Apple environment.

Comments? Suggestions? Questions? Other?

Thanks in advance.

[1] I bought an Apple AirTag, because other Bluetooth trackers (Samsung
(I have a Samsung smartphone), Tile, etc.) are less likely to be found,
because of less devices doing the location detection.

Frank Slootweg hat am 10.16.2022 um 20:09 geschrieben:
> Comments? Suggestions? Questions? Other?

It's an interesting concept where I don't have the products you're speaking
of but I googled and found these which may help out on the problem set.

How to create a new Apple ID on Android or any other device
https://support.apple.com/en-ph/HT204316

It looks like the Windows method definitely requires Apple software but the
Android method seems to maybe require Apple software or maybe not as it
says you need to sign in to something called "Apple Music on Android" which
I don't know what that is.

For using Airtags with Android, this says you can't set up the AirTags
using an Android device but you can use it with Android if you download the
Android app called Tracker Detect.

How to use Airtags with Android
https://www.lifewire.com/using-airtags-with-android-5188775

Other solutions go along the same line of approach.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/2-ways-you-can-use-apple-airtag-with-an-android-phone/
https://brainyhousing.com/do-airtags-work-with-android/

In article <tihodu.qrg.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net>, Frank Slootweg
<this@ddress.is.invalid> wrote:

> I have bought an Apple AirTag [1] to use (only) for (lost) luggage
> tracking. It has already been set up in the Apple environment of a
> (close) relative and is working. So she can try to locate our luggage,
> in case it's lost.
>
> I used my relative's help, because I was led to believe that one needs
> at least one Apple device to be able to do the setup and tracking, i.e.
> an iPhone, an iPad or a Mac.

setting it up requires an ios device. a mac won't work for set up, but
can be used to later find its location.

> But the 'geek' in me investigated further and as far as I can tell,
> one could use a browser on any device, so also a non-Apple device, to do
> the tracking. (Not sure about setting up the AirTag. More about that
> part later.)
>
> What makes me think that?

natural curiosity?

> The AirTag webpage (<https://www.apple.com/airtag>) points to the
> Find My 'app' (<https://www.apple.com/icloud/find-my>), but AFAICT,
> 'Find My' is not only an 'app'/program (on iPhone, iPad and Mac), but
> also a *web service*, because the page says
>
> "Find your stuff on iCloud.com"
>
> which is a link to <https://www.icloud.com/find>, which is the
> 'iCloud Find My iPhone' *website*.
>
> It says 'iCloud Find My iPhone', but I think it means also other Apple
> devices like iPads and AirTags. Correct?

ipads, macs, airpods and various other stuff, but not airtags.

the reason you can't use a browser is because airtags are end-to-end
encrypted with keys apple does not have.

another reason is because it would make stalking people *really* easy,
which would be bad. apple has already made some changes to minimize
that risk.

android phones can detect nearby airtags (it's a bluetooth device), but
that doesn't help to track a lost item, unless it's something inside
your house, such as car keys. who hasn't had to look for car keys at
least once? :)

> The site asks for an Apple ID, which I don't have, but AFAICT anyone
> can get an Apple ID (at least me, owner of an AirTag). Correct?

anyone could, however, that airtag is linked to your relative's apple
id.

> So if the answer to both questions is 'yes', the only remaining issue
> is, can I setup/configure/register/<whatever it's called> the AirTag
> without having/using another Apple device?

no. you need an ios device to set it up.

> If so, my relative could 'de-register' my AirTag from her environment
> and I could set it up in my non-Apple environment.

deregister yes, usually to sell/gift to someone else.

setting up in a non-apple environment, no. as noted above, an ios
device is required to set it up. a mac won't work.

> Comments? Suggestions? Questions? Other?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> [1] I bought an Apple AirTag, because other Bluetooth trackers (Samsung
> (I have a Samsung smartphone), Tile, etc.) are less likely to be found,
> because of less devices doing the location detection.

true. airtags relies on the zillions of iphones, ipads and macs in
active use, so the chances that *someone* with an apple device near a
lost tag is extremely high.

your only option would be for your relative to track it and relay that
information to you. whether that's worth the hassle is up to you.

nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> In article <tihodu.qrg.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net>, Frank Slootweg
> <this@ddress.is.invalid> wrote:

[Answers deleted. Summary (AFAICT):
Setting up an AirTag requires an iOS device, i.e. iPhone/iPad.
Finding the location of an AirTag requires an iOS device or a Mac.]
The 'iCloud Find My iPhone' website cannot locate an AirTag.]

Thanks for your clear and detailed answers.

> your only option would be for your relative to track it and relay that
> information to you. whether that's worth the hassle is up to you.

Yes, in case we lose our luggage, we'll ask her to track the AirTag
and relay its last-known location to us. For this probably/hopefully
unlikely scenario that's workable for (her and) us.

Thanks again for your answers.

On 17/10/2022 19.55, Frank Slootweg wrote:

>> your only option would be for your relative to track it and relay that
>> information to you. whether that's worth the hassle is up to you.
>
> Yes, in case we lose our luggage, we'll ask her to track the AirTag
> and relay its last-known location to us. For this probably/hopefully
> unlikely scenario that's workable for (her and) us.

I read about some air companies prohibiting the use of AirTag. I can not
expand the information, I only read the header.

I have the link in a whatsapp conversation, but I can not access it in
my laptop: it claims to need FireFox 60+, that I need to update. I am
using 102.3 esr...

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 17/10/2022 21.33, Carlos E. R. wrote:
> On 17/10/2022 19.55, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
>>> your only option would be for your relative to track it and relay that
>>> information to you. whether that's worth the hassle is up to you.
>>
>>    Yes, in case we lose our luggage, we'll ask her to track the AirTag
>> and relay its last-known location to us. For this probably/hopefully
>> unlikely scenario that's workable for (her and) us.
>
> I read about some air companies prohibiting the use of AirTag. I can not
> expand the information, I only read the header.

Found it.

<https://www.livemint.com/technology/tech-news/this-airline-has-banned-its-passengers-from-carrying-apple-airtags-11665476206149.html>

<https://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/are-airlines-banning-apple-airtags-heres-the-complete-story/>

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

In article <jr5p0kF80uU5@mid.individual.net>, Carlos E. R.
<robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

> On 17/10/2022 19.55, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
> >> your only option would be for your relative to track it and relay that
> >> information to you. whether that's worth the hassle is up to you.
> >
> > Yes, in case we lose our luggage, we'll ask her to track the AirTag
> > and relay its last-known location to us. For this probably/hopefully
> > unlikely scenario that's workable for (her and) us.
>
> I read about some air companies prohibiting the use of AirTag. I can not
> expand the information, I only read the header.

that was lufthansa, who mistakenly banned them and now allows them.

<https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/lufthansa-awkwardly-abandons-ai
rtag-ban-after-baffling-face-plant/>
Outcry, close reading of the relevant sections (part 2, section C) of
ICAO guidelines, and accusations of ulterior motives immediately
followed. AppleInsider noted that the regulations are meant for
lithium-ion batteries that could be accidentally activated; AirTag
batteries are not lithium-ion, are encased, and are commonly used in
watches, which have not been banned by any airline. The site also
spoke with "multiple international aviation experts" who saw no such
ban in ICAO regulations. One expert told the site the ban was "a way
to stop Lufthansa from being embarrassed by lost luggage."
....
On Wednesday, Lufthansa walked back the policy under the cover of
"The German Aviation Authorities (Luftfahrtbundesamt)," which the
airline said in a tweet "shared our risk assessment, that tracking
devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked
luggage do not pose a safety risk."

On 17 Oct 2022 17:55:38 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:

> Finding the location of an AirTag requires an iOS device or a Mac

What does this Apple AirTag Tracker Detect Android app do then?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.trackerdetect&hl=en_NL&gl=NL

In article <til33e$1o1e$1@gioia.aioe.org>, Bram van den Heuvel
<braam456987@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> > Finding the location of an AirTag requires an iOS device or a Mac
>
> What does this Apple AirTag Tracker Detect Android app do then?
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.trackerdetect&hl=en_NL&gl=NL

it detects an airtag that's in physical proximity of an android device.

what it doesn't do is find a lost item in an unknown location somewhere
in the world. that requires an ios or macos device due to end-to-end
encryption.

Bram van den Heuvel <braam456987@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On 17 Oct 2022 17:55:38 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
>> Finding the location of an AirTag requires an iOS device or a Mac
>
> What does this Apple AirTag Tracker Detect Android app do then?
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.trackerdetect&hl=en_NL&gl=NL

It looks for AirTags near to your current location i.e. a detector for
potential stalkers