Apple announces a new item location sharing feature on iOS 18.2

Apple recently released the iOS 18.2 Developer beta 2 update, which reportedly included a new feature that allowed users to share the location of lost or misplaced items with third parties such as airlines. The Cupertino-based tech giant has now confirmed the arrival of this feature, called Share Item Location. It is said to have rolled out in most regions worldwide with the iOS 18.2 Public beta update and will be available to all users with the public release of iOS 18.2.

Share item location in iOS 18.2 public beta 1

In a newsroom afterApple announced that its new Share Item Location feature leverages the Find My network to help users locate and retrieve lost or misplaced items. It uses Bluetooth to locate the missing devices and report their location back to the owner. Apple says the new feature also works with the Apple AirTag and other compatible Find My accessories.

Users can generate a Share Item Location link for the item marked as lost in the Find My app on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and then share it with a trusted person or airline employee. It redirects to a website with an interactive map that can be accessed by them on any platform, not just an Apple device. The iPhone maker says the website will automatically update when a new location is available and will show a timestamp of the most recent update.

To protect users’ privacy, Apple has also placed some restrictions around the new feature. To get started, recipients must verify their identity via the Apple account or partner email address to view the link. In addition, access will be limited to a small number of people.

To make it work, Apple says it is working with more than fifteen airlines worldwide, which will introduce their support in the coming months. This includes Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, who accept Find My Item locations as part of their customer service process for locating lost items. Additionally, SITA, an air transportation technology company, will also develop support for the Share Item Location feature in WorldTracer – a baggage tracking system reportedly used by more than 500 airlines and ground handlers at more than 2,800 airports around the world.