Apple presented on Monday the next version of its AirTagwhich will now feature longer Bluetooth range, a louder speaker, and improved precision-finding capabilities. The latter is powered by Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which is also found in the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 devices.
With Precision Finding, the new AirTag can provide tactile, visual and auditory feedback to guide users to their lost items. Now, those who find the capabilities extend up to 50% further than the previous generation, Apple claims. The upgraded Bluetooth chip, meanwhile, also helps extend the range at which items can be detected.
Specifically, with this update, Precision Finding will be accessible from Apple Watch Series 9 or later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later.
The device’s speaker is also 50% louder than the previous generation, meaning you can hear the AirTag’s beep up to twice as far as before.
AirTag devices will also integrate with Share Item Location, an iOS feature that allows users to temporarily share their AirTag’s location with third parties. Today, 50 airlines work with Apple for baggage tracking.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the price of the AirTag: it’s still $29 for a single AirTag and $99 for a pack of four, including free personalized engraving.
First released in 2021, AirTag quickly came to dominate the Bluetooth-connected lost item tracker market, essentially forcing previous market leaders like Tile to quickly find an exit. The company claimed that Apple was competing unfairly as its Find My network was immediately as large as the iPhone’s install base, and Apple was pressuring AirTag’s competitors to integrate into its own Find My app. Other companies, such as Chipolo, accepted Apple’s offer to work with Find My and competed against AirTag with products that work on iOS and Android or that have different features, such as rechargeable batteries.
However, Apple’s AirTag remains the one to beat, with third-party reviews suggesting it that almost 70% of trackers sold in the latter part of 2024 were AirTag devices. Apple does not disclose its AirTag sales.
