New uTag app helps you to use Samsung SmartTags on non-Samsung gadgets

There are a number of competing good tag networks – which isn’t nice since there’s energy in numbers for such networks (the extra customers there are, the higher the monitoring). Google launched its Find My network final yr and it’s speculated to be the “one true Discover My community for Android”, nevertheless it nonetheless doesn’t work nice. Samsung’s SmartThings Discover is good, however it’s accessible solely to homeowners of Galaxy telephones.

Not anymore, developer Kieron Quinn created the uTag app (“common tag”), which permits any Android cellphone (OS model 11 and newer) to make use of Samsung SmartTags. The app even has some options that the official Samsung app lacks.

You possibly can obtain uTag from the challenge’s GitHub page, the place one can find a pre-built APK. The app is absolutely open supply, because the developer needs its customers to really feel snug that there’s nothing shady occurring. You possibly can even be part of the challenge’s Discord when you’ve got questions.

Right here is the one tough half – uTag will obtain and set up a modified model of the SmartThings app. It’s essential to check in as soon as to that app and as soon as once more to offer uTag entry to the Samsung APIs. The official app will refuse to work on non-Samsung gadgets, the modified model removes this test (and likewise has code that talks to the uTag app).

uTag in motion, monitoring a tag utilizing UWB

As soon as completed, you are able to do all the things, beginning with establishing a brand new SmartTag. You need to use UWB for exact monitoring (route and distance). You possibly can share a tag with your loved ones members too. And you’ll contribute again to the SmartThings community, so tags noticed by your cellphone could be tracked by their homeowners. Apparently, the one factor that doesn’t work is Pet Strolling mode.

Then there are some options that you simply received’t discover within the SmartThings app. uTag can mechanically scan for unknown tags close to you – that is to stop somebody from utilizing a tag to trace you. Additionally, you possibly can add widgets to your homescreen that present a particular tag’s location or a location historical past.

uTag can contribute again to the SmartThings community, plus it has a number of further options

You possibly can observe the Supply hyperlink to an informative submit by uTag’s developer, which covers all of the options and why issues work the best way they do. And in case you had been questioning whether or not AirTag help could be added, the reply isn’t any – AirTags aren’t supported on Android in any respect. There are methods round this, however they’re much more difficult than a modded model of the official app (which doesn’t even exist).

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