If you have an iPhone that can run iOS 18, you can download and install the public beta of iOS 18.2. One of the most useful new features is Share the location of lost items Connected to Apple’s Find My network using a third party. It’s already possible to share an item’s location with people in your contact list, but Apple says this could be useful if you need help from a stranger.
When you select “Share item location” in the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you’ll have the option to share a link showing the location of your lost item. The recipient of the link will be able to open it on any device and will be able to contact you by verifying your Apple account email and phone number. You can see how many people visited your link. The link expires after you reunite with your lost belongings, or one week if you haven’t found them by then.
Along with friendly strangers, you can now share the location of your misplaced AirTags and Find My accessories with some airlines. Apple has worked with several companies to integrate this feature into their systems. Only a small number of airline staff can access each “Share item location” link, and Apple says they must first authenticate themselves with their Apple account or partner email address.
In the coming months, more than 15 airlines, including Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and Qantas, will The company plans to start supporting this feature. , Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Vueling Airlines. apple says Over time, more airlines will help track down mishandled or delayed baggage.
Air transport technology company SITA also includes Share Items Location in its baggage tracking system, WorldTracer. According to Apple, it is used by ground crews at more than 500 airlines and more than 2,800 airports.
Of course, there are drawbacks to installing beta software. You’re more likely to encounter bugs, and some apps and features may still not work as Apple intended. If you want to test iOS 18.2 without worrying about it, check your device’s[è¨å®š]on the menu[ソフトウェア アップデート]Beta updates must be enabled in . Apple is expected to officially release iOS 18.2 in December.
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Updated November 5, 2024, 9:10am ET: This story has been updated to clarify that these new features are in developer beta for iOS 18.2. A public beta version of that software is not yet available.
Updated November 11, 2024 at 3:12 PM ET: This story has been updated to include airline integration details and note that the public beta of iOS 18.2 is now available.
