AirTag With New Chip and Improved Location Tracking Due Next Year

[TheWraith]

I would like an Apple version of the Chipolo flat wallet tracker.

Also I tried this, and the Chipolo was straight hot garbage compared to an actual AirTag. Constantly not findable, constantly not updating. I tried two, now I have a slightly bulky airtag in my wallet in a card frame that lets it work there because at least that works.

 

[TheNewLou]

I just want Siri to stop telling me I'm being stalked because there are AirPods following me... when they're my partner's AirPods, who is on my family account so it should know it's not a stranger. So annoying.

 

[foobarbaz]

So first off — if you lose your keys you'd be pretty thankful to the AirTag for helping you find them.

My kids have them on their keys. One has already lost theirs at their elementary school on the very day we were scheduled to go to on vacation.

What would have been a panicy wide area search or a vacation full of worry became a ten minute problem.

That instantly made it the purchase of the last few years for me.

 

[gdmedia]

The upgrade I would want would be making the battery more accessible. I had one of these but when it came time to change the battery, no matter how much I struggled with it, no matter what advice I found online--I could not get it unscrewed so the battery could be replaced. I threw it in the trash and replaced it with a Chipolo card.

 

[twennywonn]

Many use AirTags to protect their belongings like Bicycles, Cars, bags etc. At the same time a thief who has an iPhone gets notification that an AirTag is nearby. So, what is the purpose of AirTags? Just find your lost key?

Yes exactly. Or your suitcase, purse, dog harness, water bottle ect. Apple explicitly says they are not for tracking stolen items.

 

[Reelmower]

Many use AirTags to protect their belongings like Bicycles, Cars, bags etc. At the same time a thief who has an iPhone gets notification that an AirTag is nearby. So, what is the purpose of AirTags? Just find your lost key?

That’s what I use mine for. Well worth it for the absent minded.

 

[HDFan]

I had one of these but when it came time to change the battery, no matter how much I struggled with it, no matter what advice I found online--I could not get it unscrewed

In most cases if you use museum putty to lock it to a surface removing the battery is trivial. Did have one where that didn't work though. Apple store successfully removed it for me.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I have 4 and use them. I just throw them in my luggage and laptop bag for travelling. Size is not an issue for me. But like others say, it’s unlikely to be a size change. So what upgrade could it possibly have that will make a noticeable difference? Enhanced location would be a benefit for shortrange locating.

I can think of a number of upgrades that could be implemented. But they should be thinner. They’re too fat to live in a wallet for example.

 

[MacFan782040]

You're maybe joking, but there are some really good cellular-based dog tracking collars out there. The advantage of cell-based is that the dog can be out in a field far away from the Find My network (aka, people walking around with iPhones) and the collar can still be located as long as it's got cell coverage.

Not joking at all. Yes, provide cell/gps based tracking like the watch. It could do all the stuff those other collars do but in Apple ecosystem.

Wall street is constantly pressuring them to find new rev streams. Here is one. People spend a fortune on pets and I could see them selling so many.

 

[steve09090]

I can think of a number of upgrades that could be implemented. But they should be thinner. They’re too fat to live in a wallet for example.

So smaller. That’s your single one upgrade. One is a number I guess. Exciting.

 

[Böhme417]

I had this happening with two of my eight. I put in a new battery and it resolved those issues. I was hoping I'd have received a "low/replace battery" message, but didn't.

I thought maybe that could be the case, but I put a fresh battery in one in one of my suitcases just before a recent trip, and my phone still didn’t locate it until I was standing in front of it.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

Many use AirTags to protect their belongings like Bicycles, Cars, bags etc. At the same time a thief who has an iPhone gets notification that an AirTag is nearby. So, what is the purpose of AirTags? Just find your lost key?

Yep. It's a fancy key finder. I did toss one in my dog's harness just in case he wandered off, but after he'd been here a year or so he decided he liked it here and had no interest in leaving.

Oh, and it's not just a thief with an iPhone who gets a notification, Android phones will now let you know too.

 

[vicviper789]

I hope it's still easy to disable the speaker

 

[Surf Monkey]

So smaller. That’s your single one upgrade. One is a number I guess. Exciting.

Why are you compelled to crap on AirPods? Seems weird.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Apple. Make a smart dog dollar. Apple Watch for dogs + AirTag tracking. You’d sell so many.

Not the worst idea 🤔 basically a Family Apple Watch without the watch face.

Still, it'd need recharged what... once a week? Every other week? Not perfect. But comparable to existing 3rd party solutions, with full Find My integration.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I have 4 and use them. I just throw them in my luggage and laptop bag for travelling. Size is not an issue for me. But like others say, it’s unlikely to be a size change. So what upgrade could it possibly have that will make a noticeable difference? Enhanced location would be a benefit for shortrange locating.

Size isn't an issue for my luggage either. But, if it's smaller possibly would be easier to fit one in my wallet. I wouldn't say smaller is "Worthless" but I would say it's of "Limited" benefit. So I would expect more of a change than that.

 

[gugy]

Apple, please make a AirTag in a credit card format for wallets.

 

[steve09090]

Why are you compelled to crap on AirPods? Seems weird.

We are not even talking about AirPods. I don’t even have AirPods, I have Powerbeats Pro. The only thing weird about that is I am part of the 10-15% of people who can’t wear AirPods.

As far as AirTags go, I just said it wasn't exciting, which is hardly crapping on them. I love my AirTags. Yet you said that you know of a number of upgrades that could improve it and you only mentioned 'smaller'. Nice one. Even I mention better close up location. Maybe you could actually name the number of upgrades and be positive about the roadmap.

Maybe you’re overselling your Number of Upgrades?

Size isn't an issue for my luggage either. But, if it's smaller possibly would be easier to fit one in my wallet. I wouldn't say smaller is "Worthless" but I would say it's of "Limited" benefit. So I would expect more of a change than that.

From the article, it seems it is just internal chips etc. Which is why I called the upgrades exciting. I think the sarcasm was lost on some people. I would love to know what people actually think could improve them other than size and better tag location close up. I don’t even want it smaller, just flatter than its Mentos shape. It's already smaller than tile but thicker, and it’s that thickness that enables easy changing of the battery. The Tile Sticker is smaller (marginally) but the battery is soldered to the PCB

A bit of research show it has the SoC nRF52832 which includes Bluetooth 5.4 would be nice to upgrade to the nRF53840 that includes Matter, Thread & Zigbee as well. That could definitely strengthen its abilities and a worthy upgrade. Tech bump.

 

[Surf Monkey]

We are not even talking about AirPods. I don’t even have AirPods, I have Powerbeats Pro. The only thing weird about that is I am part of the 10-15% of people who can’t wear AirPods.

As far as AirTags go, I just said it wasn't exciting, which is hardly crapping on them. I love my AirTags. Yet you said that you know of a number of upgrades that could improve it and you only mentioned 'smaller'. Nice one. Even I mention better close up location. Maybe you could actually name the number of upgrades and be positive about the roadmap.

Maybe you’re overselling your Number of Upgrades?


From the article, it seems it is just internal chips etc. Which is why I called the upgrades exciting. I think the sarcasm was lost on some people. I would love to know what people actually think could improve them other than size and better tag location close up. I don’t even want it smaller, just flatter than its Mentos shape. It's already smaller than tile but thicker, and it’s that thickness that enables easy changing of the battery. The Tile Sticker is smaller (marginally) but the battery is soldered to the PCB

A bit of research show it has the SoC nRF52832 which includes Bluetooth 5.4 would be nice to upgrade to the nRF53840 that includes Matter, Thread & Zigbee as well. That could definitely strengthen its abilities and a worthy upgrade. Tech bump.

Seems like a lot of effort for no real logical reason.

 

[steve09090]

Seems like a lot of effort for no real logical reason.

AirPods? Numerous upgrades and you only mention smaller? Effort? Nevermind. If you’re only interested in bickering without adding content then I’m not interested in this behaviour.

 

[Surf Monkey]

AirPods? Numerous upgrades and you only mention smaller? Effort? Nevermind. If you’re only interested in bickering without adding content then I’m not interested in this behaviour.

False. You were the one with the snarky comment. If you didn’t want a response…

 

[Radeon85]

If they still use the 2032 battery, please make it more compatible with the stupid bitterant coatings as the AirTags are useless with that unless you thoroughly remove the coating which is a pain to remove. Finding batteries that don't have this is actually hard as you never know if they added it but never advertised it.

 

[MacFan782040]

Not the worst idea 🤔 basically a Family Apple Watch without the watch face.

Still, it'd need recharged what... once a week? Every other week? Not perfect. But comparable to existing 3rd party solutions, with full Find My integration.

Yes. There are several smart dog collars out there (Fi, Whistle) and I’ve looked into them but really have no interest in paying a subscription/using another app but if Apple made one I would definitely buy it.

 

[MacFan782040]

I just want Siri to stop telling me I'm being stalked because there are AirPods following me... when they're my partner's AirPods, who is on my family account so it should know it's not a stranger. So annoying.

This. Or an AirTag on keys for a shared vehicle. It’s actually shocking they haven’t fixed this yet.

 

[steve09090]

This. Or an AirTag on keys for a shared vehicle. It’s actually shocking they haven’t fixed this yet.

It seems they have. I share my Suitcase AirTags with my wife (and vice versa), so we don't get notifications. On a Shared Vehicle (key) I would suspect the same thing. We have never received "travelling with" notifications, but we are often together, but apparently sharing will stop these notifications.

From Apple
People you share items with don’t receive tracking notifications when the items are moving with them