Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

Your iPhone can now locate your kids’ lost stuff

Nate Swanner
By

Have you ever had the problem of leaving the park after a playdate and realizing your child left his or her favorite toy? Does your child come home from school frequently without his or her backpack?

The good news is that finding lost items has gotten easier thanks to Apple. Recently, the company rolled out a new feature that allows parents and kids to keep better track of their important possessions by using their Apple devices. Could this new innovation render the school’s lost-and-found box obsolete? We’ve taken a look at how Apple’s Find My app can now locate third-party items that are compatible with its networking capabilities.

child hides with device
Charles DeLuvio/Unsplash.com

What is the Find My app?

The Find My app can already be set up to find other Apple devices such as:

  • Other iPhones
  • iPads
  • AirPods
  • Mac products
  • Apple Watch
Recommended Videos

So, if your child was streaming a movie on his or her iPad and accidentally shoved it under a cushion, he or she doesn’t have to worry about how to find missing tech with a dead battery. You can use the Find My app to locate the device even if it’s offline.

Related

However, in recent developments, this app has moved to a whole other dimension by including third-party products that are compatible with Apple devices. Now, you’ll possess the capability of finding almost any gadget that your child misplaces. If you’re worried about security, just like with any Apple product, the third-party items will have to meet requirements relating to privacy and security.

Products that are compatible with the Find My app

Thus far, Apple has partnered with three other companies to make their products compatible with the Find My app. These include:

  • VanMoof
  • Chipolo
  • Belkin

In other words, if you happen to own certain products manufactured by these brands, then you can find them easily using your iPhone. And if you’re purchasing new items and are wondering if they’re compatible, you’ll be able to tell by the badge on the product that states “Works with Apple Find My.”

VanMoof Electric Bikes

Currently, the VanMoof S3 and X3 electric bikes possess compatibility with the Find My app. This latest feature offers bike owners peace of mind with the ability to locate the bike on the phone’s map even if their ride is far away.

Belkin SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds

Starting in June of this year, your tweens or teens will be able to locate their Belkin SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds if they get lost or left somewhere. So, if they’re studying at the library and accidentally forget to pick up their earbuds, then you can track them down using Apple’s iPhone features.

Chipolo ONE Spot

Finding expensive technology is great, but does your kid frequently misplace non-tech items? June will also mark the “arrival” of the Chipolo ONE Spot, an item-finder that can be attached to a backpack, a set of keys, or just about any possession. During the summer, you can say goodbye to the stress of missing tote bags at day camp. However, you’ll need to preorder the ONE Spot — it ships in June.

Of course, this isn’t a definitive list; Apple expects to add products and accessories from additional third-party device manufacturers soon.

backpack, laptop, and school supplies
Matt Ragland/Unsplash.com

How does the Find My app work to find non-Apple products?

First off, you need to be aware that this feature requires an iOS of 14.3 or later for iPhones, iPads, or the iPod Touch. You can also use your Mac if it contains an iOS Big Sur 11.1 or later. Secondly, you must be signed into your iCloud account in order for the Find My app to be enabled.

Next, the process of adding the third-party items closely resembles that of adding your Apple devices to your Find My network by going to the Items tab in your settings. From there, you would swipe the item to the right. Likewise, if you wish to remove a device from your network, you would swipe to the left to disconnect it from your Apple ID.

Lost items can be located through a built-in speaker that plays a sound if you trigger it from within the app. Furthermore, you can set a Find My item to Lost Mode and be notified when it’s been located. Or you can add a note with an email address or phone number. Even if the item isn’t online, it can be found using Bluetooth by other Apple and non-Apple devices enrolled in Find My. And all communication via the Bluetooth is encrypted end-to-end to protect your privacy.

All in all, this is exciting news for parents who happen to have Apple devices. With just a tap or two, you’ll be able to find misplaced items, bikes, or earbuds— and that means not having to stress over your child’s lost stuff.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Nate Swanner
Nate Swanner
General Manager
Nate is General Manager for all not-Digital-Trends properties at DTMG, including The Manual, Digital Trends en Espanol…
When should your child learn how to ride a bike?
Find out what age to take off the training wheels
Parents teaching their daughter how to ride a bike with training wheels

Learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage for most kids. Children usually learn to ride a bike between the ages of 3 and 8. Bike riding is one of the best outdoor activities for kids, and it's something the entire family can do together. Most kids typically learn to ride a bike with training wheels first, while some are just natural and take to two wheels immediately.

Research shows that the best range for kids to learn a new skill is between the ages of 4 and 12. Teaching your child to ride a bike not only gives them a new experience and skill but the earlier your child learns, the longer they reap the physical and mental rewards of bike riding.

Read more
Is your kid screaming for no reason? Here are ways to deal with a screaming child’s behavior
There are easy ways to handle this behavior if your kid has hit this stage
Young girl is screaming with fingers in her ears.

When your kid won't stop screaming, it makes you want to scream, too. Tension is high, frustration is bubbling, and parents feel entirely hopeless, like they've lost control. If the behavior happens again and again, it's enough to drive you up the walls. Dealing with a screaming child's behavior is definitely one of the least favorite things for a parent to do.
Don't worry, there are ways to deal with this situation so you'll both feel better! Your child is feeling just as frustrated as you are, and with patience and understanding, you'll get to a place where you both remain calm. With these tips and some expert advice, your house will be a quieter space soon. A screaming child's behavior doesn't have to leave the whole house in tears, and here's how to get that to happen.

How to get your child to stop screaming
When your child won't stop screaming, the first thing to do is stay calm. The situation is enough to make you want to scream yourself and that is not going to get your child to stop. Take a deep breath and tap into remembering your child needs help expressing emotions and needs you as the parent to get them there. They're not doing this to annoy you or provoke you. They're a child who hasn't developed to a point where they know to do anything else.

Read more
What the location of your baby’s kick means and how it changes with each trimester
An expert talks about baby-kicking locations
Pregnant woman feeling her baby kick

There’s nothing quite like feeling your baby move. It's a reminder that there's a human growing and thriving inside you. As the pregnancy progresses, those tiny flutters you feel during the second trimester turn into harder kicks and more frequent movements as they grow bigger, often resulting in what feels like the baby kicking your bladder constantly.
In the later stages of pregnancy, it's not uncommon to not only feel but see the baby kicking or moving around as they grow. But for some women — particularly first-time moms — those movements can sometimes cause concerns. Pregnancy is full of questions and worries, and it’s easy to read into every little fetal movement, particularly as the due date draws near.
The location of your baby's kicks, how hard they're kicking, and how often your baby kicks is something most expectant people find themselves tracking to ensure their baby is healthy. Fortunately, the location of your baby’s kick isn’t generally a sign of concern. So, no, you shouldn’t worry if your baby is kicking low or if your baby is kicking your bladder. To help you decipher fetal movement and put your mind at ease, we spoke with Dr. Tamika Cross, a Texas-based OBGYN.

Common locations to feel a baby kick
It’s normal to feel your baby kick throughout your abdomen, especially early during the second trimester.
"It depends on the way the baby is laying," said Cross.
They do somersaults in your belly, particularly earlier in the pregnancy, when they have more room to move. As amazing as it is to feel your pregnant belly move, there are a couple of places many moms wish their little ones would avoid.
"One of the most uncomfortable places is higher up in the ribs area or when the baby is very low kicking down toward where the maternal bladder is, sometimes forcing out a little urine," continued Cross.
As frustrating as this can be, there's, fortunately, nothing to worry about if they’re sitting pretty in these spots.

Read more