So I lost my keys...

[Bug-Creator]

Ermmm, not sure what the problem is.

Finding an AirTag in the greater scheme works by it pinging random iPhones, if yours was the only one in the house and out of range there is nothing that can be done. On top of that the pinging can't happen at short intervals cos otherwise battery life would suck.

The short range stuff only works for current iPhones and is indeed rather short range.

Bottom line, if you had really lost your keys the tag would have popped up at one point.

 

[maflynn]

This was the one thing I could even think of for an AirTag in my life...and it didn't work right for the OP.

Yup, that's why I'm disappointed - its the old - you had one job mentality.

I'm a little confused. Did you not just go from room to room until you got a signal?

I wandered the house, but and I did eventually find the keys upstairs - I had no idea where they were. The iPhone didn't help me one iota.

not sure what the problem is.

Problem was, that I lost my keys and the airtag failed in its one reason as to why it exists.

Bottom line, if you had really lost your keys the tag would have popped up at one point.

Perhaps, in a few hours, or a few days but that really wouldn't help me as I had an immediate need.

 

[adrianlondon]

You need to attach at least four Airtags to your keyring. That's why they're sold in fours.

They still won't work, but it'll make the keyring harder to lose.

 

[azmscle]

Not necessarily, but I trust @maflynn in particular as a source.

I see you are quite new here.
You’ll learn to appreciate @maflynn and his balance and objectivity.

What an odd statement… my comment has nothing to do with OPs “balance and objectivity”. It’s simple pointing out how ridiculous your response was in regards to a single person’s experience with airtags.

 

[Shreducator]

I’ve really found the whole AirTag craze bizarre. People ran out bought a four pack with accessories. So most spent $200 on a product that can only be used in the event of losing something. Technology doesn’t need to replace normal habits like keeping track of your items. This level of consumerism is crazy.

 

[Howard2k]

I’ve really found the whole AirTag craze bizarre. People ran out bought a four pack with accessories. So most spent $200 on a product that can only be used in the event of losing something. Technology doesn’t need to replace normal habits like keeping track of your items. This level of consumerism is crazy.

I know it sounds crazy, but people can actually choose whether to buy these or not.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I know it sounds crazy, but people can actually choose whether to buy these or not.

No no no no, wait… EVERYONE didn’t get the email to go out and buy these immediately or “the dog gets it.” I mean, that’s the only reason why I bought mine. /s

 

[adrianlondon]

No no no no, wait… EVERYONE didn’t get the email to go out and buy these immediately or “the dog gets it.” I mean, that’s the only reason why I bought mine. /s

Agreed. The only reason I haven't bought any is because I don't own a dog.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I know it sounds crazy, but people can actually choose whether to buy these or not.

Who said they couldn't?

He just said it seemed a bit prematurely crazy is all.

 

[turbineseaplane]

What an odd statement… my comment has nothing to do with OPs “balance and objectivity”. It’s simple pointing out how ridiculous your response was in regards to a single person’s experience with airtags.

Try to see it from my perspective.

It is not just a single person - it's a person I trust implicitly based upon long experience.

Additionally, please consider that you might be missing facts about other anecdotes or experiences I've read, seen or heard about AirTags so far.

Notice that in my initial comment I said "that seals it"?

The inference, that perhaps wasn't clear enough, is that @maflynn and his experience is not the only actual data point for me.

Well - that seals it..

This was the one thing I could even think of for an AirTag in my life...and it didn't work right for the OP.

I'm out.

 

[maflynn]

regards to a single person’s experience with airtags.

I never said it was the norm, all I'm stating is one man's experience and sadly I was disappointed. Whether you want to believe that, or consider my experience to be an outlier in comparison to others is completely up to you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[waw74]

I’ve really found the whole AirTag craze bizarre. People ran out bought a four pack with accessories. So most spent $200 on a product that can only be used in the event of losing something.

I really find the whole insurance craze bizarre, people run out and spend all sorts money on polices that can only be used if they get sick, have a car accident, or die.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I’ve really found the whole AirTag craze bizarre. People ran out bought a four pack with accessories. So most spent $200 on a product that can only be used in the event of losing something. Technology doesn’t need to replace normal habits like keeping track of your items. This level of consumerism is crazy.

Granted I've never lost my keys, AirPods or backpack before but it gives me a sense of security. As for the 3 Apple TV remotes I tagged they go missing all the time, sometimes for months at a time so I really needed the airbags.

 

[jz0309]

Yup, that's why I'm disappointed - its the old - you had one job mentality.


I wandered the house, but and I did eventually find the keys upstairs - I had no idea where they were. The iPhone didn't help me one iota.


Problem was, that I lost my keys and the airtag failed in its one reason as to why it exists.


Perhaps, in a few hours, or a few days but that really wouldn't help me as I had an immediate need.

I would suggest that you try this again, put your keys into that location and this time see how long it actually takes the phone to “find” the keys… I typically see about a 2-3 seconds delay for the phone to “find” the airtag, eg sometimes I can see the cat before the iPhone finds it. And I am guessing that when you’re looking for keys that you need right this second, you might not give it that time… I’m not suggesting anything other than encouraging you to give it another try and see/learn the limitations…

 

[Shanghaichica]

I just found my remote. I couldn't find it. I had a good idea it was somewhere in the living room as its for the Apple TV in that room. It picked it up straight away and I was able to use nearby tracking.

 

[michaelb5000]

Did you have the find my app open the whole time you were walking around? If the tag is out of range, it may take 1-2 min to update its status; meaning it may show a last known location of a day or two ago before finally updating to when it may have last been seen. Did you turn on notify if found and/or mark as lost?

 

[EAGuitars]

As the title states. I missed placed my keys, I whip out my iPhone, open up the find my app and try to locate my keys. But it doesn't show anything. No map I'm unable to sound an alert, nothing. The airtag is out of range and there's nothing the iPhone can do

I got this to handle this very thing. I eventually found them upstairs in my bedroom the old fashioned way, oh the location finally updated one I was holding my keys. So in my somewhat small house as I stand on the stairs the airtag was out of range. I'm very disappointed

Supposedly others can report having "seen" them and contribute to their recovery. Then again, I've had Find My Phone move it as much as 2 miles in 20 minutes and eventually find it right back where we started. It's more of a random luck thing for keys, IMO. I lose them within 10 feet of me... under something, etc. But I seldom leave them because I drive away most of the time. FWIW, I also tracked my phone about 7 miles when some a$$ stole it and then tried to claim it was some kids running through the yard (but I watched him walk right to it in tall grass outside of his back door.). That would have been a gone $800 toy otherwise. I imagine that could help with vehicle recovery too.

 

[itsmeaustend]

AirPods Pro multi device support works almost exactly the same as shure SE215 BT1, which is based on BT4.2. I really don’t see how BT5.0 increases its operation range over 4.2, at Least in the house I live.
Haven’t got my hands on airtags yet but if OP experience is anything to go by, Apple has already failed.
Yeah, sample size of 1. But it is enough of a caution for potential buyers. You really only need one negative case to let people start to question the quality of your products.

As a developer I've learnt that people can jump to conclusions very quickly without looking into the issue further. OP is 1 use case. I used my AirTag to find my wallet yesterday and it worked perfectly, and my keys a few days before that. There, 2 positive experiences. Does that balance out OP's?

 

[Eso]

Granted I've never lost my keys, AirPods or backpack before but it gives me a sense of security. As for the 3 Apple TV remotes I tagged they go missing all the time, sometimes for months at a time so I really needed the airbags.

Where do you end up routinely finding them?

 

[MisterSavage]

When you were on the "find" screen that said "searching for signal" did you leave it on that screen as you moved around the house? If I'm downstairs I get no signal from an AirTag upstairs. But when I get within 22 ft of it the signal is found.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Where do you end up routinely finding them?

I’m going to take a wild guess and say it’s probably “The last place they looked”.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Where do you end up routinely finding them?

Under the sofa, hidden in my kids toys, once it got posted out the front door.

 

[azmscle]

I never said it was the norm, all I'm stating is one man's experience and sadly I was disappointed. Whether you want to believe that, or consider my experience to be an outlier in comparison to others is completely up to you. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What is it with this thread and people making such odd replies? My comment has no relation to your post and simply is a remark to that user. And here you are making remarks as if I don’t believe your experience.

 

[One2Grift]

Well - that seals it..

This was the one thing I could even think of for an AirTag in my life...and it didn't work right for the OP.

I'm out.

Making a decision based on a post on the (world wide) internet — the one chock full of bots, trolls, astros — especially one about Apple products, one of the more polarizing subjects (haters hate, lovers love, trolls come outta the woodwork), sounds like a great plan. Maybe call it ‘operation fail’?

 

[One2Grift]

AirPods Pro multi device support works almost exactly the same as shure SE215 BT1, which is based on BT4.2. I really don’t see how BT5.0 increases its operation range over 4.2, at Least in the house I live.
Haven’t got my hands on airtags yet but if OP experience is anything to go by, Apple has already failed.
Yeah, sample size of 1. But it is enough of a caution for potential buyers. You really only need one negative case to let people start to question the quality of your products.

Noting that every product sold numerously will have some lemons, what you stated is not a negative case, it’s a negative post. Those are not or at least should not be the same thing.
people embellish, lie, are mistakenly incorrect in differing ways, use subterfuge and one can generally expect lunacy from people on the internet. And that doesn’t speak to the now massive number of astros and bots that are everywhere on the internet.

the OP may be the most honest guy in the world. But internet history says you have to also have some skepticism.