Exclusive: iOS 13's Hidden 'Items' Tab for 'Apple Tags' Revealed

MacRumors has obtained never-before-seen screenshots of a new "Items" tab that Apple is developing for its Find My app in iOS 13. This tab is not available in the public version of the software update released today.

Similar to the existing "People" and "Devices" tabs in the ‌Find My‌ app, the "Items" tab will display a map at the top and a list of items associated with a user's Apple ID account at the bottom. The existing "Me" tab in the ‌Find My‌ app will be relocated to an avatar hovering over the map in all tabs.

find my items tab ios 13
The new "Items" tab will be closely integrated with Apple's rumored Tile-like item tracking tags, codenamed "B389" internally. By tapping the "Add" button in the tab, users will be able to track the location of items affixed with so-called Apple Tags directly within the ‌Find My‌ app.

The tab informs users to "tag your everyday items with B389 and never lose them again," making it clear that Apple is working on a Tile competitor. MacRumors shared an image of Apple's tag from an internal build of iOS 13 last month, although it may not reflect the final design of the product.

apple item tag
MacRumors also shared a similar screenshot of the "Items" tab last month, but these screenshots provide a more detailed view.

iPhone users will receive a notification when they are separated from a tagged item, according to strings in the internal build of iOS 13. If necessary, users can then tap a button in the ‌Find My‌ app that will cause Apple's tag to start chiming loudly to help them locate the lost item.

If users are unable to find an item, they can place the attached tag into a "Lost Mode." Then, if another ‌iPhone‌ user comes across the lost item, they will be able to view contact info for the item's owner and contact them by phone or text message. The item's owner will be immediately notified.

"Safe Locations" can be set where a user will not be notified if an item is left in certain locations, and users will also be able to share the location of items with friends and family members, per the internal build of iOS 13.

Last month, MacRumors reported that augmented reality will likely play a role in Apple's item tracking functionality.

Like the Pixie Tracker, the ‌Find My‌ app will likely incorporate features from Apple's ARKit framework. The internal build of iOS 13 includes an asset for a 3D red balloon that could help a user pinpoint a lost item after scanning a room with their ‌iPhone‌. There's also an image of a 2D orange balloon.

balloons find my item
"Walk around several feet and move your ‌iPhone‌ up and down until a balloon comes into view," reads a string in internal iOS 13 code.

The internal build of iOS 13 containing these leaked images and screenshots is from early June, so we cannot guarantee that the "Items" tab or all of the details presented above will be exactly as described. We also cannot guarantee that Apple will ever release the tags, but it has certainly been working on them.

There's a better chance than not that the Apple Tags will eventually be released, as reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed the tags will support ultra-wideband technology, allowing the new ‌iPhone‌ 11 models equipped with U1 ultra-wideband chips to accurately pinpoint the position of the tags.

Apple did not announce its Tile competitor at its September event earlier this month, but it could unveil the tags at a potential October event or beyond.

Top Rated Comments

Caliber26 Avatar
59 months ago
iPhone users will receive a notification when they are separated from a tagged item
Okay but why the heck does my watch not notify me when I leave my phone behind? This is the one feature I can’t believe is still missing after all these years.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Internet Enzyme Avatar
59 months ago
I really wonder why they seem to cut the Tags so last minute. The keynote ended 20 minutes early and on a kinda awkward note. I think it has something to do with iOS 13 being on fire internally and the tag getting demoted in development time since they needed all hands on deck to get a semi stable build out for the iPhones. Delaying the tags is pretty unfortunate because the U1 chip, an awesome innovation, didn’t even get stage time and the one feature they are talking about when it comes to uwb tech is a pretty uneventful enhancement to the airdrop interface. would be interesting to know what all happened behind the scenes.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zanoii Avatar
59 months ago

Okay but why the heck does my watch not notify me when I leave my phone behind? This is the one feature I can’t believe is still missing after all these years.
Finding my iPhone in my house by pinging it is the most used feature of my Apple Watch by a large margin.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Saipher Avatar
59 months ago
I can’t wait for October’s announcement!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Truckondo Avatar
59 months ago

I really wonder why they seem to cut the Tags so last minute. The keynote ended 20 minutes early and on a kinda awkward note. I think it has something to do with iOS 13 being on fire internally and the tag getting demoted in development time since they needed all hands on deck to get a semi stable build out for the iPhones. Delaying the tags is pretty unfortunate because the U1 chip, an awesome innovation, didn’t even get stage time and the one feature they are talking about when it comes to uwb tech is a pretty uneventful enhancement to the airdrop interface. would be interesting to know what all happened behind the scenes.
probably not to repeat the AirPower situation a couple years back.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gasu E. Avatar
59 months ago
This may become an iconic example of augmented reality tech. Awesome to scan your room and see a virtual ballon with a virtual string attached to your car keys.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...