- Apple AirTag receives a big update
- The chips are new, as are the sounds.
- Price remains unchanged: $29 / £29 / AU$49
AirTag, one of the most popular tracking tags, is getting a major update that somehow manages not to change the size, shape, or even the price. The next-generation AirTags have a better search range, louder speakers, and even a more recognizable ringtone, all of which could make their ability to help you track and find lost and misplaced items (or people) better than ever.
The new AirTags (oddly not called “AirTags 2”), which look exactly like the old tags and work with all existing accessories, arrived in Apple’s online store today and will hit retail stores later this week. Inside is the same second-generation ultra-wideband chip that Apple introduced with the iPhone 15 and Apple Series 9.
The chip significantly improves precision search capabilities, making it easier to detect the new AirTag at distances 1.5 times greater than the previous AirTag. This means that when you’re using your iPhone to find, for example, where you left your wallet in or around your house, the device with AirTag will appear on your phone, guiding you to the AirTag much sooner.
Now, however, you can also use your Apple Watch (Series 9 or higher, or Ultra 2) to find the updated AirTag using images and haptic feedback that should be recognizable to anyone who has used their phone to find a lost AirTag.
you will hear it now
In addition to better range, the new AirTag is louder with redesigned speakers that Apple says are 50% louder. A new Bluetooth chip also means the AirTag can be activated to make noise from a greater distance. Additionally, the ringtone they make has been updated and is now more recognizable.
AirTags can help you find items that are far from you by connecting to the broader network of Apple users (without giving you any personalized information). And they can work with 36 different airlines, helping you find your lost AirTagged luggage (share a link with them). Apple plans to add another 15 airline partners soon, bringing the total to 50.
Not everything is different
Despite all these changes, there are many things about the new AirTags that remain the same. As noted, the price of $29 / £29 / AU$49 per AirTag ($99 / £99 / AU$165 for a four-pack) is the same. Nothing has changed about the battery or how to replace it. It still runs on a standard CR2032 battery and Apple claims over a year of battery life.
Additionally, all privacy settings and controls remain unchanged. iOS and Android devices will still alert you to an unknown AirTag tracking you. AirTags separated from their owners for an extended period will also make a noise. Additionally, found unknown AirTags can be disabled: you touch the AirTag with your phone and it will guide you through the steps.
This is the first major update for AirTags in years, and since launching in 2021, they’ve seen increasing competition from Tile, Samsung, Moto, and others. Apple doesn’t publish how many AirTags are available, and we wonder how often people remember to change the batteries (even if it’s just once a year) and how many are just inert disks that sit at the bottom of a backpack. Yes, this is a gentle reminder to check the charge on your tags.
Still, the peace of mind that comes with tracking purses, backpacks, and especially luggage is hard to beat. When an airline loses your bags, an AirTag or tag like this may be the only sure way to find them, and now, with better range and louder tones, the chances of recovery are even greater.
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