WWDC 2023 failed to mention this shocking new iOS 17 feature — why you should care

WWDC 2023 gave us a compelling first look at an exciting future for Apple, not only unveiling its latest operating system updates for things like iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma, but also showing off the new Apple Vision Pro and MacBook Air 15. 

It’s understandable that the company can’t spend much more than two hours taking up everyone’s time, so certain new features won’t get the limelight. One of those features is a change coming to Apple’s AirTags, which let up to five other people share a communal tracking system.

While this did show up in the conference for a brief moment during the final iOS 17 slide, tucked in the corner with the vague text of “Find My Item Sharing” attached to it, it wasn’t talked about at any point. This is a little strange, but once again, it’s understandable that Apple is pressed for time and likes to fit things within a reasonable window.

Explained within Apple’s post-WWDC press release, Apple’s new AirTag sharing system allows users to share a single AirTag’s tracking with up to five other people. Each member of this shared group can see the item, play a sound to find the item, and utilize Precision Finding to get its exact location. 

This is a huge deal and should make daily AirTag use more convenient. No longer will you have to rely on a single device to find important items that could be needed by anyone in the house. For example, if you share a car with your family and cannot find its keys for the life of you, a total of six different devices can be connected to the AirTag at any time.