Apple's Find My finally released in South Korea
Lost items in South Korea just got a whole lot easier to track down.
If you've ever misplaced your keys or phone and wished for a magic button to locate them, you know the value of Apple's Find My feature. Well, South Korea just got a dose of that magic.
For those unfamiliar, Find My is a powerful tool that allows users to locate their Apple devices, track the location of loved ones, and even find lost items with AirTags, similar to Samsung's SmartThings Find service. It's been a staple in many other regions since its modern iteration launched in the US in 2019 as part of iOS 13. However, South Korea has been the only country without the feature. That is, until now, thanks to a massive petition from July 2024 by South Korean users.
The initial launch in the country came with a beta test on iOS 18.4. While the service has been functional in outlying territories like Baengnyeongdo and Ulleungdo, the official rollout of iOS 18.4 on March 31 means everyone in the country can now benefit.
Apple's senior director of service products, David Dorn, expressed his happiness in introducing this function to Korea, highlighting its importance for users to locate their most precious items. The company never explicitly mentioned why South Korea has limited access to the Find My feature. But MacRumors once reported that Apple said the feature was absent in the country because the company could not export high-precision map data due to local laws.
However, Apple, being Apple, has found a way to comply with regulations while offering the service. So, if you're in South Korea, you can head to your Apple device's Settings>Your name>Find My and enable the Find My feature. Now, you can share your location with family and friends or easily track your device when it gets lost or stolen.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
