Tile Launches New 'Pro' Bluetooth Trackers: Up to 2X Range, Twice as Loud, and More Water Resistant

[MacRumors]

Tile today released two new Bluetooth lost-and-found trackers, Tile Sport and Tile Style, which together make up the new Tile Pro Series.

Tile Sport and Tile Style feature a Bluetooth range of up to 200 feet, double that of the previous Tile Mate and Tile Slim. They're also twice as loud, with new silent, normal, and loud volume options in the updated Tile app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, rolling out on the App Store [Direct Link] today.

Tile's app has also been updated with two additional ringtones and a redesigned proximity meter that provides improved accuracy.

Tile Sport and Tile Style have improved IP68-rated dust and water resistance, a marked improvement over the IP5X and IP57 standards of the Tile Mate and Tile Slim respectively. Tile says the new Pro Series trackers can withstand submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for at least 30 minutes.

Both new trackers have more rugged designs than their predecessors. Tile Sport features a tread-like design with a graphite ring for increased durability, while Tile Style is satin white with a so-called subtly-ridged texture.

Unlike the Tile Slim, both new trackers have a cutout in the top-left corner so they can be looped onto keychains or other items. But they're also the thickest Tiles ever at 5.9mm, which is even thicker than the original Tile launched in 2014.

Just like all other Tile trackers, non-replaceable batteries in the new Pro Series models are guaranteed to last one year with no charging required. After 11 months, Tile Sport and Tile Style owners can replace their current Tiles at a discounted price of $25 each through the reTile program. Tile then recycles the old ones.

Tile Sport and Tile Style are available today on Tile's website, and at retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The trackers retail for $35 each, or $60 for a two-pack, in the United States. They're $45 each in Canada.

So, What's a Tile?

Tiles are small Bluetooth trackers that can be attached to valuable items like a MacBook, passport, or car keys, or placed inside items like wallets and purses, to help you locate them in the event they are lost. Tile's app always shows the last time and place it saw your Tile on a map.

If prompted with the Tile app, the Tile Sport or Tile Style deliver an audible chime to help you locate an item by sound when it's within a range of up to approximately 200 feet, but out of sight. Or, if you lose your iPhone, simply tap the button on the Tile and the device will start chiming, even in silent mode.

Tile also has a feature it calls Community Find, which potentially allows millions of other Tile owners in more than 230 countries to help find your lost item.

If your Tile moved location since the app last saw it, tap the Notify When Found button in the app. This will securely and anonymously put all other Tile apps on the lookout for your Tile. You'll receive an alert when another Tiler comes within range of your item. We call this feature Community Find.

Tile has generally received decent reviews, but the non-replaceable battery turns what would be a one-time purchase into an annual subscription. If you are a forgetful person, then perhaps it's worth the investment.

Article Link: Tile Launches New 'Pro' Bluetooth Trackers: Up to 2X Range, Twice as Loud, and More Water Resistant

 

[iDento]

I don't have any of these products but it's a great idea, the battery life is unfortunate.

 

[maflynn]

I'm forever losing my keys and misplacing my wallet - I definitely need something like this

 

[entropi]

And you just get a new one when the battery dies? Wow, just wow. (I hope they run out of VC funding real soon)

 

[dilbert99]

There are other trackers out there with replaceable batteries.
Not sure why anyone would buy this one. A non replaceable battery that only last a year is shocking.

 

[bozma88]

There's a similar product called Lapa 2.
Same as tile (waterproof) but half the thickness and WITH REPLACEABLE BATTERY.
I just bought them. Very stylish, even the packaging is very well thought. The App is very well made.
Tile is a scam, they collected money for years without delivering a single item to the customers. Now they actually deliver them, but the non-replaceable battery is a very stupid feature.

Have a look at Lapa lineup.

 

[ginkobiloba]

I have been using a couple of these Tiles for a few years now. Very useful, nothing really negative to say apart from them being quite pricy and almost like a subscription since you have to replace them every year.

But the biggest advantage I see to these ( compared to others ) is the community feature. The more popular the device is, the more likely you will be able to find your lost property even if it's lost in another country.
It's a catch-22 : to be really useful, these devices have to be popular and widespread.

 

[markram]

the only thing that holds me back from purchasing some is the non-replaceable battery

 

[coolfactor]

Nice designs on the outside. Poor design on the inside. There's no way I would pay $4 to $5 per month for a tracker that may never be used.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

There are other trackers out there with replaceable batteries.
Not sure why anyone would buy this one. A non replaceable battery that only last a year is shocking.

It sucks, but it was the only thing that people kept hearing about. It also seems that the 'battery life' is actually in the software, rather than the actual battery, as I had a Tile from years ago that I found and it still functioned, but I couldn't use it because it was over a year old. I guess YMMV, but to have the app refuse to use an old, and functioning Tile chip because it's 'old' really does stink of a scam.

If they had a bigger market, perhaps some enterprising people could figure out how to hack them, or the app, and make them last longer. A near field rechargeable would be cool. Like the Apple Watch. Heck, they could use the same technology and make lots of people happy. I'm thinking the 'sport' model is for the biking and outside sports crowd that lose their stuff. It would make it easier to find your bike, or skateboard, etc...

But the software timeout is a scam. BOO on Tile for, yes, making it a yearly subscription to be able to find your junk... BOO!

 

[macduke]

I stopped losing my keys when I bought a thin paracord lanyard for them. Anytime they're missing I see the the lanyard hanging out. I also installed key hooks near the front door which helped even more. For everything else I used to lose, I just threw away all the junk I have sitting around and organized the rest. It's worth the time and investment to create a good organization system that works for you. It has helped me feel more mentally balanced by having everything tidy and put away. If you're the type to lose your expensive gear in public, then buy something like this (preferably with replaceable battery). But if you just lose stuff around the house, you need to clear out and organize.

 

[DotCom2]

I'm subscriptioned out! NO MORE SUBSCRIPTIONS!

 

[Cougarcat]

I don't see a significant advantage over this compared to the regular model that I have (I don't go swimming with my keys), and the $25 replacement fee is a bit much. The $15 fee for the regular model is pushing it as it is.

I hope Bluetooth 5 brings some better features in a future model. It would be really nice, for example, if Tile would notify you as soon as it can no longer connect to your phone.

 

[one more]

What’s up with all this “Pro” hype? It’s just a better tile, so “Pro” is used to justify the higher price?

 

[44267547]

What’s up with all this “Pro” hype? It’s just a better tile, so “Pro” is used to justify the higher price?

Some companies use the term "Pro" for marketing hype to create a separation from their other products. They want the consumer to feel like they're receiving the best possible product when they purchase the highest tier of that model.

 

[steve knight]

What I wanted was a warning when going out of range and the tile does not have that. so I finally glued one to my digital calipers at work I am always leaving them wherever I use them. last time I ended up buying new ones because I could not find them and of course then found them. now that they have tiles I had not had the need of the tiles to find them (G)

 

[Cougarcat]

It sucks, but it was the only thing that people kept hearing about. It also seems that the 'battery life' is actually in the software, rather than the actual battery, as I had a Tile from years ago that I found and it still functioned, but I couldn't use it because it was over a year old. I guess YMMV, but to have the app refuse to use an old, and functioning Tile chip because it's 'old' really does stink of a scam.

It will display a warning that it "needs to be replaced," but the tile will still work fine. The app doesn't kill it. I still use an original Tile that I got in December 2015. Of course, it's a bit risky to use a tile like this...

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Do these things actually work? I tried one of these things a while back and it was very unreliable. It would beep randomly etc.

 

[FactVsOpinion]

A discounted price of $25? Every year? No thanks!

Charge a little more money up front, if you must, and give it either a user-replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery.

 

[Defthand]

the only thing that holds me back from purchasing some is the non-replaceable battery

They say it's not replaceable, but has anyone tried to open it and see? In my experience, most things that are put together, can be taken apart. After all, they are accepting used tiles for recycling.

 

[nutmac]

What’s up with all this “Pro” hype? It’s just a better tile, so “Pro” is used to justify the higher price?

Tile should've gone further. 2x range and 2x louder speaker should be a standard feature.

Features like rechargeable battery, WiFi and/or cellular, and GPS antenna are pro features. I would easily pay a lot more for these ($99).

 

[IbisDoc]

I'm forever losing my keys and misplacing my wallet - I definitely need something like this

Does Tile just pay for the ad, or also the reinforcing message board post?

 

[Bromeo]

I had four Tiles to track keys, wallet, camera bag, etc. They worked far better than TrackR Bravo, which I also tried. One Tile Slim stopped working after six months, but the others were fine. 100' range on Tile was accurate, compared to TrackR's more typical 20-30' range (which also suffered abysmal battery life despite being used replaceable, but otherwise more compact than Tile).

Sad thing is Tile App interfered with my AirPods. I gave up Tile to enjoy AirPods in the end.

 

[bag99001]

The problem with the user-replaceable battery competitors to Tile (i.e. Trackr) is that when you look at reviews, people keep complaining they often don't last more than a month, so even though you can replace the battery, you're constantly worrying it died at the exact time you lost your keys or device. I wanted to buy a trackr but ultimately went with the tile based upon all the bad reviews I found. Hopefully there will be a better alternative in the future.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

It will display a warning that it "needs to be replaced," but the tile will still work fine. The app doesn't kill it. I still use an original Tile that I got in December 2015. Of course, it's a bit risky to use a tile like this...

Hmm. Mine flat out will not work. I think it's older then that too. Interesting...