Hi, I’m a CS university professor conducting research on assistive technologies. I’m looking forward to experimenting my own app based on nearby interaction between an iPhone and uwb devices (i.e., not iPhones). Which devices could I can use? Is it possible to use airtags? Thanks!
You can find details about using the Nearby Interaction with third-party hardware here: https://developer.apple.com/nearby-interaction/. In particular, be sure to read the FAQ section and watch the WWDC21 session about the topic.
There is no API to use Airtags or Homepods at the moment. Not sure there will ever be. Not that I work for Apple or anything, but I suspect that Apple wants to encourage manufacturers and companies to build their own UWB devices.
At the moment you can build apps using the NearbyInteraction framework available with iOS 15, using XCode Beta, and at least two iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max or later.
You can have a look at the code sample "Implementing Interactions Between Users in Close Proximity" on how to share the discoveryToken from NearbyInteraction using the MultipeerConnectivity framework.
No, you are right. You don't need XCode Beta 13 to use the Nearby Interaction framework.