Your IPhone May Not Be Fully Compatible With Apple’s New AirTag Device.
On Monday, Apple released a new AirTag —but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. The new AirTag is visually identical to the old one, despite being released nearly five years later. But the goal of this update wasn’t a new design or even a significantly improved tracker. Instead, Apple added a few minor improvements that will benefit new customers without displacing existing AirTag users.
There are two key improvements: the first concerns Precision Finding, Apple’s system for locating lost items. Your device uses an Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip to provide detailed location guidance for your AirTag, including haptic, visual, and audible cues. Second-generation AirTags feature a newer UWB chip, which improves location accuracy by 50%. This means your new AirTag can be 1.5 times farther away than the old AirTag and still show up in Precision Finding. These improvements also affect the speaker. The new AirTag’s speaker is 50% louder than the original model, which can help you hear your lost tracker better, especially if it’s buried somewhere, like a couch cushion.
The main thing that hasn’t changed is the price. A single AirTag still costs $29, while a set of four costs $99. But before you buy one (or four), be aware that your iPhone may not be able to take advantage of these new features. In that case, it’s better to invest in a first-generation AirTag.
What you’ll need to take full advantage of the new AirTag system.
As Techradar notes , connecting the new AirTags requires iPhones and iPads to be running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. This immediately rules out any iPhones and iPads that don’t support these latest updates (typically iPhones older than the iPhone 11), but it also creates a problem for those who simply put off installing iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. If you want to use these new AirTags, you’ll need to update. If you don’t want to update, stick with your original AirTags.
Even if your iPhone is running iOS 26, it may not support one of AirTag’s key features. To take advantage of the 50% improved precise location feature, you need an iPhone 15 or newer. This is because these iPhones also feature Apple’s latest UWB chip, which is essential for this improved location feature. (Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e does not have this new UWB chip.)
If you have an iPhone 14 or later with iOS 26, you’ll still be able to use the Precise Search feature with the new AirTag, but it will be the standard Precise Search mode, just like the original model. (Your Apple Watch can also use this standard Precise Search feature if you have an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or an Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later with watchOS 26.2.1.)
If your specifications do not meet the requirements, please purchase an older AirTag model.
Apple no longer sells the first-generation AirTags, but that’s not a problem. If your specifications don’t meet all of the above requirements, you should consider older AirTags.
This isn’t because the new AirTags will perform worse; I’m saying this simply because you can save a significant amount. Instead of spending $99 on a pack of four second-generation AirTags, you can now purchase a pack of four first-generation AirTags for $69.99 . These trackers will work exactly the same, except for the second-generation AirTags’ louder speaker, and you’ll save $30. You can also save a bit on a single AirTag, as first-generation AirTags are on sale on Amazon for $25.99 .
If you want to ensure your AirTags are future-proof, you can safely purchase the second-generation models at full price. However, if you don’t plan to upgrade your iPhone anytime soon, this is a pretty good deal.