After 5 Years, Apple Lastly Upgrades the AirTag

Apple’s AirTag has turn into the de facto “Bluetooth tracker” since its 2021 debut, upending established gamers like Tile. Now, Apple is lastly upgrading the {hardware}. The second-generation AirTag nonetheless prices $29 for one, and $99 for a four-pack, and it is accessible immediately.

It is powered by the second-generation Extremely Wideband chip (U2), which Apple has already employed in current iPhone and Apple Watch fashions. It improves the power to discover the tag’s actual location when utilizing Apple’s Precision Discovering mode, with as much as 1.5 occasions better vary. You’ll be able to elevate your iPhone, and you will obtain visible, audio, and haptic suggestions because the gadget guides you to your AirTag. For the primary time, Apple says Precision Discovering is now accessible on the Apple Watch Collection 9 or later and the Apple Watch Extremely 2 or newer.

The second-gen AirTag is 50 p.c louder than its predecessor, and Apple says it may be heard from twice as far-off as earlier than; there is a new chime, too. Apple has additionally upgraded the Bluetooth chip for higher general vary. There isn’t any notable improve to battery life, as Apple nonetheless cites “greater than a 12 months,” although the battery stays user-replaceable.

{Photograph}: Courtesy of Apple

Apple requires new house owners of the second-gen AirTag to have an iPhone or iPad working the newest iOS 26 model (you additionally want an Apple Account and must be signed into iCloud). The software program options stay the identical—all the pieces is powered by Apple’s Discover

My function, which leverages a community of Apple gadgets that will help you find and observe your AirTag. Additionally accessible is Apple’s Share Merchandise Location function, which helps you to share the situation of a lacking merchandise with an airline to allow them to discover it in your behalf. Proper now, this function is out there with 36 airways, however that quantity will soar to 50, although Apple did not present a selected timeline.

After the unique AirTags have been exploited to observe individuals, Apple deployed monitoring alerts (and labored with Google to allow these alerts on Android), and those self same capabilities are right here within the second era. If somebody locations an AirTag in your bag, your iPhone or Android will ship a notification about an “unknown tracker” in your particular person.

Apple says the second-gen AirTag is made out of 85 p.c recycled plastic in its enclosure, with 100% recycled uncommon earth parts within the magnets, and 100% recycled gold plating within the printed circuit boards, to not point out 100% fiber-based paper packaging.

The AirTag retains the identical form as its predecessor, which means you gained’t have bother stuffing it into the identical AirTag instances, key rings, and different equipment. Apple even has a brand new model of its official Key Ring accent made from its FineWoven materials to match your FineWoven iPhone 17 case.