Skechers Unveils Kids’ Shoes with Hidden AirTag Compartment for Enhanced Safety and Peace of Mind

In a notable development, Skechers has introduced a line of children’s sneakers designed with a concealed compartment to accommodate an Apple AirTag, thereby enabling parents to monitor the location of their offspring or, more precisely, their footwear. The insert, located within the heel of the shoe, can be discreetly lifted to reveal this hidden compartment. Notably, these shoes do not come with an included AirTag and appear to be a third-party product developed independently by Skechers.

The introduction of these innovative sneakers was announced in mid-July, garnering limited media attention until AppleInsider reported on the product on July 28th.

While AirTags are marketed primarily for tracking items such as keys, wallets, or luggage, parents have increasingly employed this technology to supervise their children’s whereabouts. Various products compatible with AirTags, including bracelets, insoles, pins, and even imitation Crocs Jibbitz, allow an AirTag to be incorporated.

It is worth noting that AirTags are not particularly effective at tracking fast-moving objects, such as a child on a school bus. Unlike an iPhone with location sharing enabled, AirTags do not possess built-in GPS technology. Instead, they rely on Bluetooth beaconing to transmit their presence to nearby Apple devices, providing the owner of the AirTag with an estimate of its location.

Although this technology can be utilized for nefarious purposes, such as stalking individuals by concealing AirTags in their belongings or vehicles, Apple has implemented certain anti-stalking features. For example, an iPhone or Apple Watch user will receive a notification when an unrecognized AirTag is in proximity.

As Skechers produces these shoes only in children’s sizes, the potential for using them to monitor adults without their consent appears minimal. However, the normalization of such surveillance could have broader implications, potentially leading shoe brands to develop similar products tailored for adults with conditions like dementia who may unintentionally wander away from their caregivers. While such applications may be well-meaning, they also raise concerns about the potential misuse of such technology to track individuals without their consent.