AirTags: disappointing performance

[haruhiko]

I bought a 4-pack of AirTags hoping to track my wallet at home and the car when it's in a busy car park.

I found that both use cases don't work.

First, the bluetooth signal is kind of weak, especially in the car due to the blocking of signal of the metal body. Even if I put it right under the windscreen, the signal is not strong enough that the Find My application only locates a signal within 10 meters of distance at which you will actually see the car right in front of you. So there is absolutely no point to use it to locate the car. Moreover, the UWB direction only works when it is under 3 meters of distance. So you can see how ridiculous it is to stand right next to your car to locate your car.

Okay okay, I know that this is not an intended usage.

So my second experiment is to put in in my wallet and try to track it at home. Same problem, the bluetooth signal only reach the phone at even smaller distance, say 5-7 meters, probably due to the walls. So by the time you reach a signal, you are already pretty close to the wallet. And again, the UWB direction only works under 2-3m. Sure, if I leave the wallet in one of my trousers, the AirTag may have use.

So in general, I found that for my desired use cases, one totally doesn't work at all and another just barely works.

Just my two cents. Thanks for reading!

 

[Marli]

You might have a faulty phone.. I tested it today, got 50 meters on BT and around 25 meters on UWB

The Tile Pro got around 95 meters on BT..

Maybe a Tile is a better tracker for what you are trying to do. They have a slim wallet version. I have them and they work pretty well. they dont have UWB though.

 

[haruhiko]

You might have a faulty phone.. I tested it today, got 50 meters on BT and around 25 meters on UWB

The Tile Pro got around 95 meters on BT..

Maybe a Tile is a better tracker for what you are trying to do. They have a slim wallet version. I have them and they work pretty well. they dont have UWB though.

Haha a faulty brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max? I don't think so..

It did tell me that there is a signal, but "signal too weak" at around 20 meters. By the time it could give me a distance, it was already less than 10 meters.

Also it's very susceptible to metal and concrete. When my wallet was placed on a metal plate, the phone nearly can't locate it at all even when I'm right next to it.

If I remove it from the metal plate, the UWB signal can be connected at around 4-5m.
But what's the point to put it carefully at where there is no interference if it's supposed to help you locate the item when you *lost* it? We don't carefully lose things...

 

[Marli]

Haha a faulty brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max? I don't think so..

Why not, you are obviously having performance issues. Maybe you have a faulty Tag?? I seem to be getting a lot better performance that you state, even in the house with walls, iPhone 11 ProMax..

My testing shows that on BT they do not perform as well as the Tile Pro.. Tile Pro will go nearly twice as far before dropping BT.


UWB is very easy to attenuate.. So yes, anything in its way affects the signal strenth.

 

[haruhiko]

Faulty phone.. faulty tag…
Anyway it’s not the problem of the product 😂
Speechless.

 

[syndalis]

... yes?

If other posters on here, and other reviews around the web are experiencing a vastly different response than you are, I doubt they are all lying. It would be worth trying to isolate the issue.

Are you using a thick 3rd party case? What is your performance like with other Bluetooth devices? Can you, for instance, start playing music on your airpods and then walk to the other side of the home? how far do you get before it chops or drops?

If all of that is fine, do you have another iPhone handy, or does a friend? If so, try resetting the tag and having them pair with it. Do they have the same terrible range?

One of these things will likely point to root cause. Which is either that something is blocking the signal strength of your phone, your phone has a bad antenna array, or your airtag is defective. You experience is not the product they are selling and lots of people are currently using.

 

[LeeW]

Faulty phone.. faulty tag…
Anyway it’s not the problem of the product 😂
Speechless.

Ok, but it is not my experience either, it works well in the various situations I have tested them so far and better than your experience. You want to dismiss possibilities and move straight to the product being the problem for not meeting your expectations.

 

[Deguello]

... yes?

If other posters on here, and other reviews around the web are experiencing a vastly different response than you are, I doubt they are all lying. It would be worth trying to isolate the issue.

Are you using a thick 3rd party case? What is your performance like with other Bluetooth devices? Can you, for instance, start playing music on your airpods and then walk to the other side of the home? how far do you get before it chops or drops?

If all of that is fine, do you have another iPhone handy, or does a friend? If so, try resetting the tag and having them pair with it. Do they have the same terrible range?

One of these things will likely point to root cause. Which is either that something is blocking the signal strength of your phone, your phone has a bad antenna array, or your airtag is defective. You experience is not the product they are selling and lots of people are currently using.

There are multiple threads even here, though, in which the range has been disappointing or useless so his experience is hardly unique. And that's in a group of people who tend to go to the mat defending anything Apple does.

 

[xraydoc]

Faulty phone.. faulty tag…
Anyway it’s not the problem of the product 😂
Speechless.

Just to be fair, do you have an RFID-blocking wallet? I do, so I’m not expecting the AirTags to work well with it (not that I was going to anyway).

 

[Marli]

I wondered if RFID blocking wallets would attenuate the BT..

 

[michaelb5000]

When I first got it last night it did not find it or play a sound in the same room so maybe 20 ft. This am it does that easily and worked from the other side of the house (so 2 rooms away and 30+ feet). So it may vary?

 

[lordhamster]

I wondered if RFID blocking wallets would attenuate the BT..

They should. My understanding is that a RFID blocking wallet is basically just wallet with metallic foil inside. Creating essentially a faraday cage.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Just to be fair, do you have an RFID-blocking wallet? I do, so I’m not expecting the AirTags to work well with it (not that I was going to anyway).

Good point. I forgot my wallet is RFID. No point in putting a tag in it.

 

[valinda]

Can you raise the volume of the airtag?

 

[xraydoc]

Can you raise the volume of the airtag?

I don't have mine yet but everything I've read so far says no.

 

[canyonblue737]

Can you raise the volume of the airtag?

you can not.

 

[trifid]

Wow that's dissapointing.

I wouldn't be surprised if Airtags 2 has double the range, a perfect upgrade to prompt everyone to upgrade.

Seems like I'll have to cancel my order.

 

[rgarjr]

^
Yeah but for 30 bucks, it’s not that much money. Unless you’re buying a lot.

 

[adrianlondon]

Wow that's dissapointing.

I wouldn't be surprised if Airtags 2 has double the range, a perfect upgrade to prompt everyone to upgrade.

Seems like I'll have to cancel my order.

Then you could stick an Airtag 2 on your Airtag 1 to ensure you don't lose it 😁

 

[doboy]

Also it's very susceptible to metal and concrete. When my wallet was placed on a metal plate, the phone nearly can't locate it at all even when I'm right next to it.

I mean it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know this.

 

[xero9]

So far I’m not impressed either. I’m literally 2m from the tag and it’s saying the signal is not strong enough.

I bought a 4 pack but only tested one so far. Should probably test the others to see if it’s my phone or tag.

Debating returning them.

 

[trifid]

Cancelled my 4-pack order. Looks like we'll have to wait for Airtags 2, for Apple to come closer to Tile Pro's range.

 

[Jtludwig]

I’ve been pretty happy. I stuck one on my kid’s bike under the seat and I can see where he is around the neighborhood (with some gaps) just because of all the Apple devices floating around in peoples houses, cars, pockets, etc.

 

[poorcody]

I’ve been pretty happy. I stuck one on my kid’s bike under the seat and I can see where he is around the neighborhood (with some gaps) just because of all the Apple devices floating around in peoples houses, cars, pockets, etc.

Does your kid have an iPhone? Wondering if he is getting any warning about being tracked... (Or are you on the same family plan...?)

 

[Jtludwig]

Does your kid have an iPhone? Wondering if he is getting any warning about being tracked... (Or are you on the same family plan...?)

No..he’s only 9 so he doesn’t rate that high .

Also if he had a iphone, I would just disable “item safety alerts” on the Find app and that would solve that problem. I suppose if I disabled those alerts, then someone else could “stalk” him with another airtag, but I consider that highly unlikely.