Article for context:https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23870522/iphone-15-pro-max-thread-smartphones (Ik that I am talking about multiple companies when I refer to android companies but many singular companies make more innovations in the phone space compared to apple)
Iphone does have some cool, closed garden things, eg, airtags.
Yes. Android has alternatives, none of which are nearly as good as airtags.
Tile was around for years before “airtags”
Yes, but tile doesnt work on the mesh network of iPhones everywhere. If I lose my wallet on the bus, I can find that bus or the person who stole my wallet thanks to other people owning Apple phones reporting it to mine over the internet.
Tile has a mesh network, it just isn’t as big as Apples. It also isn’t enabled by default: you have to mark your tile as “lost” – which sidesteps the stalking issues airtags have.
Android literally came out with a universal air tag system. Works the same as air tags, but you can go with any brand you want.
Plus the fact there’s more Android devices out there, it’s more useful.
And they backported the tracking feature in Google services, so old devices that don’t get updates anymore will be able to use the new system.