- Apple AirTag is getting a huge update
- The chips are new, as are the sounds
- The 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 of AirTags have better range, louder speakers, and even a more recognizable bell, all of which can make their ability to help you track and find lost and misplaced items (or people) better than ever.
The new AirTags (strangely not called “AirTags 2”), which look similar to the old tags and work with all existing accessories, arrived today at Apple’s online store and will arrive at retail stores later this week. Inside is the same second-generation Ultrawideband chip that Apple introduced with the iPhone 15 and Apple Series 9.
The chip significantly improves the possibilities of precision finding, making it easier to detect the new AirTag at distances 1.5x farther than the previous AirTag. This means that when you use your iPhone to find, e.g. wherever in or around your house you’ve left your wallet, the AirTag toting device will pop up on your phone and guide you to the AirTag much faster.
Now, though, you can also use your Apple Watch — Series 9 or higher, or Ultra 2 — to locate the updated AirTag using visuals and haptic feedback that should be recognizable to anyone who’s 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 claims are 50% louder. A new Bluetooth chip also means that the AirTag can be activated to make noise from a greater distance. Additionally, the chimes they make have been updated and are now more recognizable.
AirTags can help you find objects that are far away from you by connecting to the wider Apple user network (without providing you with any personal information). And they can work with 36 different airlines that will help you find your lost AirTagged luggage (you share a link with them). Apple plans to add another 15 airline partners soon, bringing the total to 50.
Not everything is different
For all these changes, there is much about the new AirTags that remains the same. As mentioned, the $29 / £29 / AU$49 per AirTag price ($99 / £99 / AU$165 for a pack of four) is the same. Nothing about the battery or how to replace it has changed. It’s still powered by 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 about an unknown AirTag tracking you. AirTags separated from their owners for an extended period of time will also emit a noise. Also, unknown AirTags found can be disabled: you tap the AirTag with your phone and it guides you through the steps.
This is the first major update to AirTags in years, and since launching in 2021, they’ve seen increasing competition from Tile, Samsung, Moto and others. Apple doesn’t release how many AirTags are out there, and we wonder how often people remember to change the batteries (even if it’s only once a year), and how many are just inactive disks sitting in the bottom of a backpack. Yes, this is a gentle reminder to check the tax on your tags.
Still, the peace of mind that comes with tracking wallets, backpacks and especially luggage is hard to beat. When an airline loses your bags, an AirTag or a tag like it can be the only sure way to find them, and now, with better range and louder tones, the chances of retrieving them are even better.
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