Apple’s new AirTag tracker is better, but not upgrade-worthy

By Chris Welch, Bloomberg

Apple Inc.’s new second-generation AirTag is basically a slightly better do-over of the original. At $29 for a single item tracker or $99 for a four-pack, it also costs the same. Upgraders can expect slightly better wireless range, a louder chime and the ability to pinpoint an item’s location with their Apple Watch: no iPhone necessary.

Considering the original was released almost five years ago, some Apple fans and techies might have hoped for more.

But after a few days of testing, the updated AirTag hasn’t changed the calculus for how and where I use Apple’s tracker. And I think that’s exactly the point.

The AirTag is the rare Apple item that you’re never supposed to think about. Having been an early adopter of the original $29 device, I’ve kept the tiny circular tracker on my keychain, tucked it away in my backpack, and hidden it in my guitar case. And for most of that time, the AirTag has dutifully (and uneventfully) served its purpose, continually pinging nearby iPhones, Macs and other devices in Apple’s vast Find My network to report its whereabouts.

That location is almost always right where I expect it to be. But as someone with an unfortunate history of losing wallets and keys, I’ve found the AirTag invaluable on multiple occasions.

The AirTag is there when I need it, even if I rarely ever do, slowly trickling down its year-long endurance before the CR2032 coin cell battery inside needs replacing.

The new device’s improved loudness — an increase of 50%, according to Apple — is the biggest improvement. Whereas I sometimes struggled to hear the original AirTag emit its location in a crowded restaurant or on a city street, this one cuts through clearly in those environments. If someone were to covertly plant one of Apple’s trackers on me for nefarious purposes, the louder chime makes it easier to pinpoint and disable. (Like iPhones, Android phones now alert users if an unknown AirTag is found to be traveling with them.)

There’s otherwise little different about the way I use an AirTag day to day, and the software experience in Apple’s Find My app is the same across both generations. The hardware on the new version is mostly identical to the original, down to the polished stainless steel back that’s a magnet for scratches and scuffs. The best way of physically telling them apart is to look for all-caps text on the back of the updated model.

Under the hood, one new feature is the ability to use Precision Finding — a feature where on-screen arrows guide you to an AirTag’s exact spot — on an Apple Watch. I no longer need to bother with the intermediary step of finding my iPhone all so that I can use it to locate another object. So if I’m out for a phone-free walk and somehow misplace my keys, my watch can bring me right to them.

The second-gen AirTag’s range enhancements have been less noticeable. Then again, I live in a dense city where Apple devices are always in close proximity, so this has never been a problem. The tracker still lacks GPS and on-demand location reporting, so if you’re in more rural environments or out in the wilderness, an AirTag isn’t going to be nearly as helpful as it is to us city dwellers.

These gaps in connectivity might be one reason Apple still insists the AirTag is “designed exclusively for tracking objects, and not people or pets.” GPS trackers are better suited for those scenarios, but are often more expensive and can require a monthly subscription. I know plenty of dog owners who’ve attached an AirTag to their best friend’s collar as a fallback safety measure and for peace of mind.

In fact, AirTag owners have found all sorts of novel, creative use cases for the device; my favorite might be someone leaving one in their remote cabin so they’d be notified if anyone with an iPhone were to wander close enough to ping the tracker. Other people settle for more conventional ideas like attaching an AirTag to the back of a frequently lost TV remote.

With the AirTag and other trackers having become so mainstream in recent years, thieves often know to go looking for them after snatching something. So using one to keep tabs on valuable personal belongings can take some clever concealment. It’s best to stow the tracker in hidden compartments or hard-to-reach spots.

The new hardware is compatible with all key chain holders and other accessories that fit the original AirTag, but its shape can make for an awkward fit in wallets. Thankfully companies have released credit card-style trackers that integrate with the Find My network.

Third-party device makers are also increasingly letting users switch between Apple’s network and Google’s Find Hub network, which works in a similar fashion. However, the crowdsourced network relies on Android-based products to geolocate a missing item instead of Apple’s.

One distinct advantage of Apple’s tracker might appeal to frequent flyers: The company has partnered with over 50 airlines to help recover missing luggage, letting users temporarily share the location of a bag or suitcase for easier retrieval. Samsung Electronics Co. has gotten off to a much slower start in comparison with its SmartThings Find tags. But again, this works with either AirTag model.

Unless you’re really sold on the idea of a slightly louder chime, there’s no reason to run out and replace all of the AirTags you already own that are likely serving their purpose just fine. And the technical constraints of the original — including no proper GPS or 24/7 location tracking — still apply here.

But for a gadget that’s meant to attach to something and (mostly) be forgotten about, the second-generation AirTag still gets the job done and is an affordable way to locate whatever it’s tethered to, or at least get you pretty close.

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