Apple officially opens up the Find My app to third-party accessories

Today, Apple introduced a major update to the Find My app that allows third-party products to integrate with Apple's Find My network. The update will allow accessory companies to make products that integrate with Find My and users track those products through the Find My app. According to the announcement, Belkin, Chipolo, and VanMoof will be releasing the first Find My-compatible products next week.

Source: Apple

Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, says that the company is thrilled to bring Find My, which has been available to Apple devices for years, to a ton of other products.

"For more than a decade, our customers have relied on Find My to locate their missing or stolen Apple devices, all while protecting their privacy ... Now we're bringing the powerful finding capabilities of Find My, one of our most popular services, to more people with the Find My network accessory program. We're thrilled to see how Belkin, Chipolo, and VanMoof are utilizing this technology, and can't wait to see what other partners create."

Source: Apple

Products that are approved for the Find My network accessory program (which is part of the Made for iPhone (MFi) Program) will be added to the new Items tab in the Find My app and feature a "Works with Apple Find My" badge to inform users that the product is compatible. The company will also be releasing a draft specification for chipset manufacturers to take advantage of U1-equipped Apple devices for more precise locating.

The first products that will be compatible with Find My are an e-bike from VanMoof, Belkin's new wireless earbuds, and Chipolo's item finder (side-eye to Tile).

VanMoof's latest S3 and X3 e-bikes, Belkin's SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds, and the Chipolo ONE Spot item finder make up the first group of innovative third-party accessories that work with Find My. These products will allow users to locate where they left their ride, their earbuds at the gym, their backpack, and so much more. Additional third-party device manufacturers will offer Find My-enabled products and accessories soon.

You can learn more about the announcement on the Apple Newsroom website.