Millions of iPhone users risk being stalked as customers ask to check settings to get new update alert

IPHONE owners have been urged to update their devices immediately to help prevent Bluetooth stalking.

Apple has released its latest iOS 17.5 update that includes a number of new features as well as a crucial tool to protect customers.

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Ever since Apple’s Bluetooth tracking AirTags started flying off the shelves, experts have warned that the gadget was being used to follow people home.

The palm-sized discs should be placed in a bag or attached to a dog collar so you can keep track of your belongings.

But bandits used them to attack and harass innocent passersby.

In 2022, Apple released an update that allowed iPhones to detect nearby AirTags – warning customers that they may have an unwanted location tracker placed in their pockets.

It didn’t take long for Google to release a similar update to protect Android customers from the dark side of AirTags and other Bluetooth trackers.

Now in iOS 17.5, Apple’s latest software update, this feature has been improved.

While customers previously only knew if an AirTag was near them, they will now be notified if it is moving with them.

iPhone users will receive an ‘Item Found Moving With You’ alert on their device if an unknown Bluetooth tracking device is moving with them “over time, regardless of the platform the device is paired with.”

This applies to all Bluetooth tracking devices, not just Apple-branded AirTags.

Apple said: “If a user receives this alert on their iOS device, it means that someone else’s AirTag, Find My accessory, or other Bluetooth tracker that meets industry specifications is moving with them.”

Other features included in iOS 17.5

The iOS 17.5 update will not only bring new Bluetooth tracking protections to your iPhone, but also:

• Apple New+ gains offline mode for reading on the go.

• New repair status option that allows an iPhone to be sent for service without disabling Find My and Activation Lock.

• The Podcasts widget can now be placed on the home screen or lock screen.

• Third party web app downloads in EU only.

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