Hands-On With Apple's New AirTags

[OCR]

I remember when there were rumors of Apple developing their first IPad. Forums were filled with comments like why would anyone want one of those things? Jobs knew they would. But it would take time for people to realize how useful they are.

Air Tags will be the same way. This forum is filled with people asking why anyone would need one of these. But Apple will sell millions of them and people will discover all kinds of useful ways to use them that they had never previously considered.

 

[Lerxt]

Indeed, a four-pack plus the cheapest Apple branded key-fob holder comes to AU$329 before taxes. That’s AU$82.25 per AirTag setup. Or buy one for AU$90. I guess Tim Cook has to run his private jet somehow.

It’s the Australia tax.

Australia is a nice place but terrible politics has resulted in unbelievably high prices for everything. Im moving back shortly, and it’s one thing im definitely not looking forward to. Luckily I’ll be commuting overseas for work regularly, so I can do my shopping there.

 

[MacBH928]

The use cases I can (personally) see for these things would be invalidated by the stalking countermeasures. For example I’d love to be able to track my bike if it’s stolen, but the thief would be notified by their iPhone (if they have one) that they’re being tracked, and given the option to disable it. Even if they didn’t have an iPhone, the airtag would begin beeping.

I wonder how this works with luggage too. Is your airtag going to start notifying baggage handlers that they’re being tracked?? The whole thing just seems unusable for moving objects and pointless in cases of theft. The only remaining use case I can imagine is if I lost my own stuff, which I never have. Maybe one in the car to locate it in the parking lot??

IMO , no one should be notified that an Airtag is next to him except the guy who owns the Airtag. Once setup the Airtag should have shared an encrypted password with your account/phone. Now only they can talk to each other, in the app you should make it beep with a virtual button.

Apple says they made it this way so no one can track you, but truth is you need a modern iOS device to know that someone has installed an Airtag on you. Guess what? most people do not own a modern iOS device.

 

[FindingAvalon]

IMO , no one should be notified that an Airtag is next to him except the guy who owns the Airtag. Once setup the Airtag should have shared an encrypted password with your account/phone. Now only they can talk to each other, in the app you should make it beep with a virtual button.

Apple says they made it this way so no one can track you, but truth is you need a modern iOS device to know that someone has installed an Airtag on you. Guess what? most people do not own a modern iOS device.

There are hundreds of millions of iOS devices running iOS 14.5.

 

[DonHS]

I got 4 AirTags and use them in my keys. However, I’m a bit disappointed because I thought my iPhone was able to notify me as soon as the connection to the AirTag gets lost, so that I directly know I left my keys somewhere. Almost all other trackers I used were able to do that. I was even able to define time ranges or geofences when and where to notify. So I could say notify me of a lost connection on workdays from 9 to 5. So that I never forget my work keys somewhere…
It’s a bummer that AirTags don’t offer that

 

[Td1970]

I got one to play with. It’s on my keychain. It’s smaller than I thought it would be. Works well for my keys.

I plan on getting 4 more. Want to put one one the dogs collar. Both my boys and moms keychain.

 

[Td1970]

got my 4-pack. Opened first and it prompted my iPhone12 for an update. did that and it doesn't auto-find my first airtag. popped out the battery and re-assembled...didn't find it. Opened the other 3, still nothing. But, it was able to connect using the Find My app. Nothing major...

That sounds like a major problem to me. I mean it they are working. But damn

 

[Driesdk]

I got 4 AirTags and use them in my keys. However, I’m a bit disappointed because I thought my iPhone was able to notify me as soon as the connection to the AirTag gets lost, so that I directly know I left my keys somewhere. Almost all other trackers I used were able to do that. I was even able to define time ranges or geofences when and where to notify. So I could say notify me of a lost connection on workdays from 9 to 5. So that I never forget my work keys somewhere…
It’s a bummer that AirTags don’t offer that

I don’t really understand why we can’t work with shortcuts and “find my”. that could open a lot of opportunities.

 

[topmacat]

love apple stuff and will get a packs of 4 , may be 2 pack .....but in no way i will spend more then 2 usd on attachment for it ! ....i m pretty sure china will have some cheap fake leather attachment soon ....like 3 usd for 10 plastic one pack ....or 1 usd for a fake leather one ... hell ...for luggage i will use a duck taped inside of one of the outside compartment. this i can still heard the noise n not easily to remove by some intentional theft .

 

[sflagel]

How will AirTag help with lost luggage? Airlines find your luggage, they can tell immediately where your luggage is using the scanner bars. If you lose your luggage, it’s not on the wrong carousel, it’s in the wrong airport! And I doubt anyone, ever, has lost or forgotten a carry-on bag.
I think this is a play for the long term, when AirTag stickers can be put in wallets, credit cards, work passes, glasses, etc. You know, stuff that people actually misplace.

 

[nycgeo]

The airtags holders are so poorly designed I’m shocked. The keyring one is in line with the split ring! This, as anyone who owns KEYS knows, is totally wrong, and should be perpendicular to the split ring like the keys on it.

The silicone luggage tag feels stiff and cheap, working fine as a literal luggage tag but I can’t imagine another place it would fit comfortably.

And that’s it! Those are the two ridiculous options, with hardly any third party ones available.

I’ll have my eyes out for the Belkin style one (which is designed properly for a KEY RING) and other ones when they become available. For now the Apple ones are a total miss. (I own both apple styles FYI)

 

[PhoneI]

As a tile user for years. Tile has more features. I may get one later down the road but found no reason to upgrade. Only thing airtag has over tile is the find my network.

airtag range is 50ft from the few test I seen so far. Tile is 200-400ft. Tile can ring the phone by pressing button on the tile. Tile is louder and different sound alert.

As a fellow Tile user for years I can say that the Tile (and the corresponding Tile app) is absolute garbage compared to the AirTags. No comparison at all. As soon as I can figure out a good solution to attach an AirTag to a TV remote control, I will be replacing all my Tiles

 

[Swift]

I woke up too late. My keyring is coming in a couple of days, but my AirTag won't come until... the second half of May.

 

[ach]

You can only add an airtag to a single phone. How this will actually work with shared car keys is a concern.

I believe you probably can find it using the "Find My" app and if the iPhones/iPad is in family sharing. May even use the web page,

 

[Menel]

You can only add an airtag to a single phone. How this will actually work with shared car keys is a concern.

you'll get prompted to disable the warning indefinitely

 

[Menel]

This is so dumb I can't even take it. They should have sharing options such as show location, or only use for find nearby etc. Why I can track my wife's phone, but not have an option for "her" devices is a terrible oversight. This is where privacy hinders the product.

Those of us that aren't new to Apple products, are used to this. They usually start small, feeling out the policies, then expand. E.g. FaceID was 1 user, then you could have a second, now it even works around masks. It evolves.

 

[Piggie]

Yeah I was wondering the same thing. I thought the bag was on the other side of the wall and he was walking towards a door, but then it was waiting for him at the end of the hall almost 40 degrees to the right of where there arrow was pointing the whole time.
This didn’t exactly impress me.

Indeed, When watching the video I thought exactly the same as you.
I thought it was telling him it was in the room to his left and he was going to turn left open the door and find the tag on the other side of the wall, to show how it worked through walls.
Hence my confusion as he carried on walking straight and all of a sudden it was pointing directly in front of him at his bag.
Puzzling.

 

[Gix1k]

I ordered 2 just cause it's new Apple stuff. I don't typically lose things.

 

[sparkinstx]

I'm still waiting on my first AirTag (I specified engraving, and ETA is May 17-24), but my Belkin "Secure Holder with Key Ring" arrived from Apple today. It's hard plastic, and now I know what "twist and lock" means.

The holder is in two halves (two "rings"), and at the top of the loop that the key ring goes through, there's a bump on one half, and a recess on the other half, that the bump snaps into. I made the mistake of twisting and snapping it together with the AirTag in it, and almost didn't get it apart.

I finally clamped on one half at the key loop with needle nose pliers, and pushed in the loop of the other half with a 3/16" flat-blade screwdriver, and managed to unlock it. Another option would be to use a razor blade or knife blade (a plastic spudger might work, too) to gently separate the halves near the bump and recess, then twist the halves apart.

Looking at the FAQ section for the product on Belkin's site (they won't start shipping these until June - maybe to let Apple make money off them first?), there's not a lot of positive reviews so far.

 

[ach]

I believe you probably can find it using the "Find My" app and if the iPhones/iPad is in family sharing. May even use the web page,

I just got mine, I really can't believe you can't share it using Family Sharing. You can track an iPhone, which for the kids, it is far worse than tracking the airbag. I should be at least an option.

 

[AVBeatMan]

I feel that this is a stupid question but...When my girlfriend and I go out shopping we always split up and always have to call each other with a "where are you" call. Could I, or am I even allowed to, pop an AirTag in her purse so I can find her? Where we park the car would also be useful. Thoughts?

 

[DotCom2]

I feel that this is a stupid question but...When my girlfriend and I go out shopping we always split up and always have to call each other with a "where are you" call. Could I, or am I even allowed to, pop an AirTag in her purse so I can find her? Where we park the car would also be useful. Thoughts?

Check out the new feature coming is iOS 15 where you can send each other "Share My Location" and it’s a *live* feed as you walk along until you get to your target. I think this would work better than a tag but the tag could also work although not as well IMHO. I am soooo looking forward to this feature. Especially at Disneyland etc.

 

[ach]

Curious as well. I plan on just keeping one in my car

I performed a test, I set my iPhone to airplane mode with bluetooth off. I place my airbag above my visor. Drove and parked my car on the street over night in Boston. I left the car and some time later, checked on the airbags / car location. It was extremely accurate.

In order for the location to work, someone with an iPhone with the latest iOS and the service enabled must go near the airbag to report the location. If it is out in the middle of the sticks or the tracker is inside a building with no cell service, it will not work.

I've read that the beep / stalking mode will not occur if the airbag does not move. It does not beep for example when my keys are left in my house for days.

But what they say does not always work. I had my airbag with me and met some relatives for an evening. After couple of hours, they got a stalking notification for my airtag on me. I also got a stalking message on my iPhone from my wife's airbag one evening while she was there also. This was a month ago, there were some updates to iOS and possibly airtag since then.