You may have heard of the brouhaha[1] over Apple's AirTag device in recent months. This lightweight tag, which Apple sells for $29, can be clipped onto most any object to keep track of things. They can also be taped to something, or simply slipped into a pocket or a purse.
Consequently, malicious parties have used the device in some cases to keep tabs on people, prompting Apple to take measures to alert its customers when an AirTag is detected in one's presence that could be planted there by a malicious party, such as dropped into a book bag.
I have experienced a curious and related phenomenon in recent weeks: Apple mistakenly thinks my stuff is tracking me.
I have repeatedly gotten a notification on the screen of my iPad mini that reads, "AirPods Pro Detected: An AirPods Pro has been moving with you for a while. The owner can see its location. You can play a sound to find it." The alert, the first time it shows up, offers you options to leave the alert running or to turn it off.
The point of the warning is that just like AirTags, other i-devices, including AirPods, can be put into someone's bag or pockets and be used as a tracking device to follow the person's movements.
Also: Apple plans to make finding unwanted AirTags easier[2]
In this case, however, the warning is totally erroneous. These are my AirPods Pro, which I have had for years now as I was able to verify by using the iPad to play a sound on the AirPods.
Apple's technology doesn't know these