Newsroom

Apple moves on bike security
Apple moves on bike security

Tech giant Apple has extended its "Find My" network technology to the bike world.

If your bike goes missing, you can track it down using Find My on your iPhone or any other Apple device.

Apple partnered with Dutch bike firm VanMoof to develop the software and hardware to enable the simple tracking app to work on bicycles.

It is expected that the technology will be adopted by other brands.

The advantage is that there are hundreds of millions of Apple devices across the globe connected to the network, and they can all collaborate in finding your bike.

VanMoof is a very forward-thinking bike brand that was able to envisage a future where e-bikes too could become a device on a network.

They could be set-up, operated and monitored via a smart phone.

Some say the latest VanMoofs are computers disguised as bikes. They can even update themselves over the internet.

Many of us have already made use of the Find My technology: many an iPhone left on the back seat of a taxi has been safely located and retrieved.

Do we need this on our bikes?

Just imagine you are in the Netherlands and you have parked you bike somewhere nearby this morning, along with 5000 others.

Using Find My on your phone solves that problem, using both wi-fi and Bluetooth to precisely locate where you left it.

You can even make it beep for you as you approach the exact location.

And when your bike is nicked, it will be tracked and its location communicated to you via the network, supplementing the other anti-theft electronics that stop unauthorised use of the e-bike.

The company expects that thieves will simply no longer bother stealing these models.

Although VanMoofs are relatively expensive, sales are booming, and the company has doubled in size to 600 employees in just one year.

It indicates there is possibly a huge market for a convenient, practical, device-like e-bike that takes you where you want go with minimum fuss.

You will need recent model Apple devices to use with these bikes as they have the high-level security required to ensure all transmissions over Find My are anonymous and encrypted.

Like our articles?

Become a Member and help fund our advocacy work.

Join Now