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AirTag 2 Now Rumored to Launch in September or Later This Year With New Battery Feature

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According to a 9to5Mac report this week, citing reliable sources, Apple is now planning to release the AirTag 2 in September or later this year. If so, the updated accessory could be announced at the iPhone 17 event in less than three months from now.

AirTag-Close-Up.jpg

The report also said that iOS 18.6 beta code hints at the upcoming software update being compatible with the AirTag 2, when it is released.

Finally, the report said that the AirTag 2 will provide alerts for both low and very low battery levels. You can already see if the current AirTag's battery level is low in the Find My app, but it sounds like there will now be two tiers of alerts.

9to5Mac speculated that this change could hint at the AirTag 2 featuring a rechargeable battery. However, in a November 2024 edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next AirTag would "certainly not" be equipped with a rechargeable battery, suggesting that Apple will stick with a replaceable battery.

In that same newsletter, Gurman said that Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025, which sounded more like June or July. So, if 9to5Mac is accurate about the accessory's launch timeframe now being September or later this year, then customers will have to wait a little longer for it than expected.

Whenever it launches, the AirTag 2 is rumored to feature up to 3× longer item tracking range compared to the current AirTag. Gurman expects the AirTag 2 to look similar to the current model, but he said the built-in speaker will be more difficult to remove, which would make it harder to covertly stalk people with the accessory.

Apple released the current AirTag in April 2021, so it is now more than four years old. It debuted at an event alongside the iMac with the M1 chip, the iPad Pro with the M1 chip, a new Apple TV, and a purple color for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini.

Article Link: AirTag 2 Now Rumored to Launch in September or Later This Year With New Battery Feature
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/25/airtag-2-september-or-later-rumor/
3x Times further away is cool as long as i don't have to change/charge the battery three 3x more often.

Only reason i think of this is the Magic mouse with replaceable batteries vs the one you recharge. The one with AA batteries lasts way longer then the rechargeable one.
 
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k1121j said:
3x Times further away is cool as long as i don't have to change/charge the battery three 3x more often.

Only reason i think of this is the Magic mouse with replaceable batteries vs the one you recharge. The one with AA batteries lasts way longer then the rechargeable one.
Click to expand...
Built-in batteries on most devices are just a ticking clock to the device going into landfill. Every lithium battery has X number of charge cycles in it (as we all know from our phones and laptops) but unlike those larger devices it's not feasible to replace the built-in battery on something as small as an AirTag.
 
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ignatius345 said:
Built-in batteries on most devices are just a ticking clock to the device going into landfill. Every lithium battery has X number of charge cycles in it (as we all know from our phones and laptops) but unlike those larger devices it's not feasible to replace the built-in battery on something as small as an AirTag.
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The energy density of secondary (rechargeable) batteries is also quite a lot less than primaries. For many of the common cylindrical types the secondary versions have about half the capacity. Convenience of being rechargeable vs short endurance.
 
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A rechargeable lithium ion battery has a short standby time, because they lose power quickly when sitting idle. The disposable lithium coin cells have a very long shelf life, so you don't need to touch them for months (at least) and it makes them ideal for this type of device. Nobody wants to be charging AirTags every week, especially since they're often in cases that make them difficult to access.

Maybe they've found a rechargeable option that has a long shelf life, like solid state lithium sulfur (but those are lower density), or the modern NiMh rechargeables.


Godspeed8230 said:
It would be useful if there were an option to (remotely) toggle the AirTag on or off as needed. There are times when I don't require its tracking functionality, yet it remains active unnecessarily.
Click to expand...

I have no doubt that they already have low power motion sensors that put it into an idle state if they haven't been moved in a while. But otherwise I think the use-case for AirTags is for people who generally think they don't need the tracking, except for that one time when they do. If you want to make a decision about it every time, use a removable clip so you can easily take it off.
 
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orev said:
A rechargeable lithium ion battery has a short standby time, because they lose power quickly when sitting idle. The disposable lithium coin cells have a very long shelf life, so you don't need to touch them for months (at least) and it makes them ideal for this type of device. Nobody wants to be charging AirTags every week, especially since they're often in cases that make them difficult to access.

Maybe they've found a rechargeable option that has a long shelf life, like solid state lithium sulfur (but those are lower density), or the modern NiMh rechargeables.




I have no doubt that they already have low power motion sensors that put it into an idle state if they haven't been moved in a while. But otherwise I think the use-case for AirTags is for people who generally think they don't need the tracking, except for that one time when they do. If you want to make a decision about it every time, use a removable clip so you can easily take it off.
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Also a challenge to get it to “wake up” if you power it down. It still needs to be in some sort of receive mode.

As it is, the battery life is pretty good. I’ve been getting a year or more from the batteries and TBH don’t feel a need for extending that 3X in exchange for being able to turn it off.
 
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Having two battery warnings is great. They can run for months after the empty battery warning.

I know, because I don’t bother replacing them in my luggage until I actually travel. But I wouldn’t risk that with other items. With a second warning closer to the end, I might.
 
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I've been eyeing getting an AirTag and waiting to make a decision when the AirTag 2 comes out.

As for replaceable or rechargeable batteries, I want my cake and eat it too. I was looking for rechargeable alternative coin batteries and the only one I've found had significantly lower capacity.

I guess if I had to make a choice, I'd opt for the replaceable battery since I expect these AirTags to last for many years across multiple phone upgrades resulting in very degraded battery capacity if it where rechargeable. Unless Apple somehow makes the rechargeable battery fairly long lasting between charges and user replaceable which doesn't seem likely.
 
k1121j said:
Only reason i think of this is the Magic mouse with replaceable batteries vs the one you recharge. The one with AA batteries lasts way longer then the rechargeable one.
Click to expand...
AA version is also way more convenient. When the battery on my Logitech dies, I just pop another Eneloop rechargable in and keep working.
 
It looks like it will launch along with the next iPhones. Expecting it to have better range. Better battery low indicators will be a good change.
 
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randomgeeza said:
Wow, if that is all you have to worry about... Such hard work! Changing a battery...
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Its not just the task of swapping a battery. When I change the battery in my wireless camera, I have to reposition it and fix the detection zone. I also place motion sensors out of the way and that requires getting a ladder.
 
ignatius345 said:
AA version is also way more convenient. When the battery on my Logitech dies, I just pop another Eneloop rechargable in and keep working.
Click to expand...

And is the entire reason the mouse is designed as it is. When they decided to move to built in rechargeable battery they just swapped out the battery door for a charge port the end result being the compromised design you have to this day.
 
Godspeed8230 said:
It would be useful if there were an option to (remotely) toggle the AirTag on or off as needed. There are times when I don't require its tracking functionality, yet it remains active unnecessarily.
Click to expand...
True....like one used in a suitcase. 95% of the time it's in my closet at home. I suppose I could remove the battery each time I return from a trip.

I like the idea of a low/low low alarm on a rechargeable device. As long as it's something like 2 weeks of life between the alarm levels. And that it's a somewhat forceful reminder. Otherwise I'm likely to dismiss it and then forget to charge it until too late. The Apple Watch Charger would be perfect for these things.
 
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I'll hit the snooze button on this one. Too many contradictory rumors for more than one or two years. I think Airtag 2 is going to depend on some iPhone 17 ultra wideband chip improvement for new features. It makes sense it will be released sometime on or after iPhone 17, probably after. Looks like Airtag has been so far a successful product, so it seems fairly certain there will be a new version.
 
For this type of device I want a replaceable battery. The battery lasts long enough. Touch it once and done. Vs remove, charge and remember to put back in its hiding place hours later or the next day.

Two features I’d like is better location accuracy and being able to see historical data. Where was it at given times. Even if it only updates when moved.
 
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airtags are too large. I'd like a smaller version, even if I have to charge it every 3-6 months.
 
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