Parents in Australia Warned to Keep AirTags Away From Children Due to Battery Choking Hazard

[MacRumors]

In May, a major Australian retailer took AirTags off its shelves in response to concerns that the Bluetooth-enabled item tracking device could pose a threat to children due to the size and "easy" access to its battery. Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is officially slapping Apple's AirTag with a warning.

In a press release, the ACCC says it is "urging parents" to keep Apple's AirTags out of reach from children over "safety concerns" about the "accessibility and security of the button battery inside the product." AirTag features a replaceable coin-cell battery that can be swapped out by pressing down and twisting the backplate. The ACCC has concluded that the "press and twist" mechanism is too easy, possibly allowing children to open the backplate themselves and swallow the lithium coin-cell battery.

The design of the backplate and intent of the "press and twist" process is similar to typical over-counter or prescription-based medication, which usually requires a firm press and twist on the lid to open. The ACCC, however, alleges that its concerns go beyond simply the design of the backplate but also includes possible user confusion about whether the backplate is securely closed.

To close an AirTag backplate, a user must line the backplate’s hinges with the openings in the AirTag itself, firmly press down, and twist it closed. The ACCC notes that even if a user doesn't correctly reinsert the backplate, the AirTag provides an audible chime, "suggesting the lid is secure when it may not be." That chime, in reality, is not intended to relay to the user that the backplate is secured closed but is intended to be an audible chime that the battery is installed and that the AirTag is on.

The ACCC is also ringing alarm bells over the outer packaging's lack of a warning about the risk that AirTag could pose to children.

"The ACCC is concerned that the AirTag's battery compartment could be accessible to young children, and the button battery removed with ease. In addition, the AirTag battery compartment's lid does not always secure fully on closing, and a distinctive sound plays when an AirTag's lid is being closed, suggesting the lid is secure when it may not be.

"We were also concerned that the outer product packaging does not have any warning about the presence and dangers of button batteries, and we note that Apple has now added a warning label to the AirTag's packaging. However, this alone does not address our fundamental concerns about children being able to access the button batteries in these devices," ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

Apple has in previous statements defended the design of AirTags and says it is fully in compliance with international and local regulation. In the statement, Apple also said it plans to directly address concerns over the lack of a warning on the AirTag's box; however, specifics on when that new and updated packaging will begin shipping remains unknown.

AirTag is designed to meet international child safety standards, including those in Australia, by requiring a two step push-and-turn mechanism to access the user-replaceable battery. We are following the regulations closely and are working to ensure that our products will meet or exceed new standards, including those for package labeling, well ahead of the timeline required

Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission has been increasingly more vigilant of Apple of late, launching several investigations into the Cupertino tech-giant, and weighing-in on topics such as users having more freedom of control over pre-installed iOS apps.

Article Link: Parents in Australia Warned to Keep AirTags Away From Children Due to Battery Choking Hazard

 

[orbital~debris]

Before this thread is filled with posts by the misinformed or ignorant, (like the earlier one), please use a moment of your time to:

• Watch this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-57614838
• Read this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-57553914

 

[farewelwilliams]

kids are dumb. really dumb

 

[mazz0]

I think on the whole I’m with the ACCC on this one. It’s not that it’s easy to accidentally open the AirTags (though it’s a lot easier than, for example, medicine bottles), but it is hard to tell when they’re closed properly - I think it’s likely there’ll be many cases of people not closing them properly.

It needs a proper click/snap when it’s opening and closing.

I predict a silent update.

 

[GubbyMan]

I'd say we give kids small batteries until natural selection takes it course and solves this problem. /s

 

[Marbles1]

How are you meant to keep them away from children when their purpose is to find an attached item which you've lost?

I suppose parents of young children shouldn't buy them then.

 

[2013.1]

Seems hard to open.
Seems hard to swallow.
Kids.

(CR2032 battery, ø20mm x 3 mm, a diameter between a 1 cent and a 5 cent coin, about double the thickness of a 1 cent coin)

 

[NightFox]

kids are dumb. really dumb

Which should be a design consideration for anything they could conceivably get their hands on

 

[mw360]

How are you meant to keep them away from children when their purpose is to find an attached item which you've lost?

I suppose parents of young children shouldn't buy them then.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Just use a hard to open case or fob. Parents are very used to having to keep things out of the reach of kids, so long as they know they have to.

 

[Veinticinco]

The design of the backplate and intent of the "press and twist" process is similar to typical over-counter or perspiration-based medication, which usually requires a firm press and twist on the lid to open.

I think you’ll find the word is “prescription” ?

 

[Reason077]

I'm glad that this issue is getting some attention. Coin cell batteries are very dangerous to young kids and I'm concerned that the locking mechanism on AirTags doesn't fully prevent them being opened accidentally. They've come apart in my pocket a few times, releasing the battery, just by being squeezed between things in my pocket:

AirTag came apart in my pocket

AirTag design flaw? It seems like the battery cover comes off much too easily! When I got home this evening and reached into my pocket for my keys, I found the AirTag battery cover and its battery had detached themselves.

forums.macrumors.com

 

[69Mustang]

I think you’ll find the word is “prescription” ?

I read that too: perspiration-based medication. Then I read it again. Thought to myself, "Hmmm, "sweat meds" could be counteracted with an application of deodorant. Better put a warning on that too.

I also thought letting Siri dictate your blog post is probably a bad idea.

 

[MauiPa]

How are you meant to keep them away from children when their purpose is to find an attached item which you've lost?

I suppose parents of young children shouldn't buy them then.

Probably parents of small children need to be responsible, there are many items, likes lots and lots and lots, that you need to keep away from small children. Really this article could be titled, "Keep small items away from small children, including airtags"

 

[tigercraig1]

the entirety of Australia is a nanny state… just a few whining people looking for fault in everything

 

[LFC2020]

Put it in a decent key ring case, issue solved, nothing to see here. 🙄🤦‍♂️

 

[Octopuss]

Politicians in Australia ... (for sure)
Paranoids in Australia ... (maybe)
Parents? not that much.

 

[ascender]

Probably parents of small children need to be responsible, there are many items, likes lots and lots and lots, that you need to keep away from small children. Really this article could be titled, "Keep small items away from small children, including airtags"

This reply nails it doesn’t it? I have two kids and when they were really little, you could call them “dumb” because they don’t know any better. You have to try and make the environment as safe as possible for them whilst also educating Them about what’s dangerous.

These small batteries are a danger to kids, but so are many many other things. Just need some perspective on it.

 

[Ploki]

If airtags need to come with a warning it's actually the parents that are dumb.

 

[cmcbhi]

There are many things in the world that ar dangerous for kids.
Thats what parents are for. To protect them.

 

[cicalinarrot]

This reminds me of Homer Simpson's barbershop quartet's shaving foam.
"They took the foam off the market because they found out it was poisonous.
But if you ask me, if you're dumb enough to eat it, you deserve to die. ...Bart!"

 

[melliflu]

Why opening the thing when kids can swallow it up entirely? Is it tracking correctly in stomach?

 

[yabeweb]

Sometimes I wonder how we made it this far.....

 

[Purneau]

What is iFixit’s repairability score for the AirTag? Apple tries to do it right one time…

 

[krewger]

Everyone gets mad at Apple for making hard to repair, non-upgradable devices. They make one device you can change the battery on….. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

I still find the locator sound more offensive because of the pitch change/echo they do. Tiles are way easier to locate in the couch or under the seat in the car.

Considering most airtags are in attaching cases because they don’t have their own eyelet to hook them to anything. The ease of access to the battery is difficult with a case on them

 

[himanshumodi]

Before this thread is filled with posts by the misinformed or ignorant, (like the earlier one), please use a moment of your time to:

• Watch this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-57614838
• Read this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-57553914

More than misinformed and ignorant, I think most people just under-estimate the risk of a kid swallowing a battery.