It largely flew under the radar at WWDC 2023. With iOS 17’s upcoming release this fall however, you’ll be able to share tracking with other people thanks to a new group sharing function. Sharing the ability to track items with a group of up to five people will be quite handy in appropriate situations.
If something has gone missing, anyone in the group will be able to use Precision Finding to home in on the location of the misplaced AirTag.
This shared feature with iOS 17 doesn’t just end with AirTags either because it’s open to other Find My network accessories that have since come out, like Eufy’s SmartTrack wallet and other supported luggage trackers. The latter is noteworthy because families on vacation could confidently know if their belongings have been left behind or not, rather than having one person having that responsibility.
And “responsibility” is an interesting word to use, when considering the negative press associated with intentional misuse of AirTag devices for nefarious purposes. One would presume that the “owner” of the AirTag who has shared it with a group is ultimately responsible for its use. Any member of a shared group would still be able to misuse the device. The waters remain muddy.