Apple Has Finally Announced the New AirTag.
It’s been almost five years since Apple released the first—and only—AirTags, but that’s not necessarily surprising: these trackers aren’t the kind of product you’d expect to update every year or two. Unlike the iPhone, which gets new processors, cameras, and other hardware features every year, AirTags simply… track your stuff. The only thing that needs to be replaced annually is the batteries; otherwise, they do exactly what you’d expect.
However, Apple has made changes over the years. In response to initial criticism, the company made it much more difficult for an AirTag to be discreetly placed in a bag or car and tracked without your knowledge. Furthermore, the current version of the AirTag can do a lot , which won’t make you think twice about upgrading. Still, I suppose the original AirTag wasn’t the AirTag for life. That’s why Apple just announced a completely new AirTag. It’s unlikely to force you to replace your existing Apple trackers, but these new features will prove useful if you decide to expand your AirTag collection.
What’s new in the latest version of AirTag?
Apple isn’t giving the new AirTag any specific name: it’s still simply called AirTag. I’m a little surprised, because even if Apple replaces the existing AirTag with this one, they’ll have a hard time distinguishing the first generation from the second.
But that’s a problem for Apple Store technicians, not us. The new AirTag features Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip. This is the same UWB chip that Apple uses in the iPhone 17 series, as well as the iPhone Air, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch Series 11. This new chip, along with the new Bluetooth chip, increases the range of the Pinpoint feature by 50%. Pinpoint uses your iPhone to guide you to the AirTag, using haptic feedback, visual cues, and audio to alert you when you’re approaching or moving away. It’s worth clarifying that the original AirTag also has a UWB chip compatible with Pinpoint, but this new UWB chip will make it easier to find an AirTag that’s not as close.
If you have an Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, the new AirTag feature will allow you to use the exact search feature for the first time. I’m not sure this is worth the upgrade, as you can always use the exact search feature on your iPhone, but it’s certainly a nice bonus if you own one of these models.
The pinpoint feature is useful for locating your AirTag, but it may not help you find it if it’s hidden, for example, under a pillow. That’s where the speaker comes in: you can set your AirTag to emit a short beep to make it easier to find when you’re within earshot. The new AirTag’s speaker is 50% louder than the original model, which should help when you really can’t find your AirTag on the couch.
What’s new in the latest version of AirTag?
These are probably all the updates Apple has added to the latest AirTag, although you wouldn’t know it from the press release. Apple has added existing AirTag features that might seem new, but in reality, these are just the core features of all AirTags, new and old.
This AirTag, like all AirTags, operates on the Find My network: no internet connection is required for tracking. Instead, the AirTag passively connects to all internet-connected Apple devices and the Find My network—most often, this is an iPhone, but can also include other devices such as iPads and Macs. This enables features like “Share Item Location,” which allows you to share your AirTag’s location with a third party, such as an airline. The airline can then use this information to help locate your baggage.
The new AirTag model also retains the same privacy and security features as the previous model. No data is stored on the device, and all communications within the Find My iPhone feature are end-to-end encrypted. Regardless of whether you use this AirTag model or the first one, Apple will not be able to see your AirTag or any other devices that have connected it to the Find My iPhone network.
How much does the latest AirTag model cost?
Apple also hasn’t changed the price of the second-generation AirTag . A single tracker costs $29, while a set of four costs $99—a small savings if you’re willing to spend that much. However, if you really don’t need the newest models, it might be worth considering the previous generation, as a set of four trackers is currently available on Amazon for $69.99 .