Apple announced their AirTag on Tuesday, a Bluetooth tracking device that’s designed to be attached to items like keys, wallets, laptop bags, suitcases, lunch bags, and just about anything you want to be able to track, letting you find them right in the Find My app.
Any U1 device like the iPhone 12 can be used to guide you right to the item you’re looking for. Combining visual, haptic, and audio feedback, AirTags aim to make keeping track of your things simple, accurate, and relatively inexpensive.
“We’re excited to bring this incredible new capability to iPhone users with the introduction of AirTag, leveraging the vast Find My network, to help them keep track of and find the important items in their lives,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “With its design, unparalleled finding experience, and built-in privacy and security features, AirTag will provide customers with another way to leverage the power of the Apple ecosystem and enhance the versatility of iPhone.”
The Apple AirTag is made of stainless steel and is IP67 water and dust resistant. The small, lightweight device features a built-in speaker that plays sounds to help locate them, and the cover is removable so when the battery losing its strength it can easily be replaced by the user.
Setting up the AirTag is simple, just bring an AirTag close to your iPhone and it pairs. You can assign an AirTag to an item and name it using defaults like “Keys” or “Jacket,” or use a custom name instead. Apple says AirTag location data is kept private and anonymous with end-to-end encryption.
AirTags can be placed in a bag or pocket on their own, or attached to a range of Apple-designed AirTag accessories.
Once an AirTag is set up, it will appear in the new Items tab in the Find My app, where you can view the item’s current or last known location on a map. If you misplace an item and it’s within Bluetooth range, you can use the Find My app to play a sound from the AirTag to help locate it. You can also ask Siri to find an item, and AirTag will play a sound if it is nearby.
Each AirTag is equipped with the Apple-designed U1 chip using Ultra-Wideband technology, enabling what Apple calls “Precision Finding” for iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 users.
While Apple never mentioned a specific Bluetooth range for AirTags, they say “within Bluetooth range,” which can be up to 800-feet with a direct line of sight.
If an AirTag is separated from its owner and out of Bluetooth range, the Find My network can help track it down. You can place AirTag into Lost Mode and be notified when it is in range or has been located by the Find My network. If a lost AirTag is found by someone, they can tap it using their iPhone or any NFC-capable device and be taken to a website that will display a contact phone number for the owner, if they have provided one.
The trackers can be personalized with custom engravings, including emojis. AirTags start at $29 each or $99 for a four-pack. Online orders open this Friday, with AirTags shipping on April 30.
Source: Apple, Macrumors
