Tile to Leverage Amazon Echo and Ring Devices to Better Compete With AirTags

[MacRumors]

Amazon today announced that it is teaming up with Tile to add Amazon Sidewalk integration to Tile's Bluetooth trackers. Amazon Sidewalk, for those unfamiliar, is a network of Amazon Bluetooth devices that's designed to improve the connectivity of devices like the Ring and Amazon Echo.

Tile will now be joining Amazon Sidewalk, and through this integration, Amazon Echo and Ring devices will be able to extend Tile's network coverage to help Tile users locate their lost items.

Tile users will also get the benefit of Amazon Alexa, and those with Alexa-enabled devices can say "Alexa, find my [item]" to have their Tile device start ringing. Multiple in-home Echo devices will allow misplaced items to be found faster around the house, and Tile CEO CJ Prober says the technology will also be useful outside the home.

"Tile helps millions of people every day find their things, and we're always looking for opportunities to enhance the finding experience for our customers. To that end, working with Amazon to extend our finding network by securely connecting to Amazon Sidewalk devices like Echo smart speakers was an obvious choice," said CJ Prober, CEO of Tile. "Amazon Sidewalk will strengthen Tile's finding power for our devices and Find with Tile device partners that leverage our finding technology, making it even easier to find lost or misplaced keys, wallets, or other Tiled items both inside and outside the home."

With Amazon Sidewalk, Tile will be able to better compete against AirTags, which are able to take advantage of the Find My network. The Find My network uses hundreds of millions of Apple devices to help locate lost AirTags, allowing them to be found when not in Bluetooth range of an owner's device.

Tile has a similar feature called the Tile Network that takes advantage of other Tile users who have a Tile app, but there are nowhere near as many Tile users out in the wild as there are Apple users, which gave Apple a significant edge. There are, however, tons of Ring and Amazon Echo devices to bolster Tile's network, though people are not carrying these devices with them so it's still more limited than the Find My network.

Tile will join Amazon Sidewalk starting on June 14.

Article Link: Tile to Leverage Amazon Echo and Ring Devices to Better Compete With AirTags

 

[Rudy69]

It’s almost like competition forces them to innovate

 

[Kilibee]

So, it will work more or less ok inside flats.

Still looks like a duck to me, but YMMV.

 

[WiseAJ]

So Tile can still compete. All their earlier whining is for nothing.

 

[alexandr]

oooooh, rip airtags. mark this day. bleh

 

[MauiPa]

So why doesn't tile allow its trackers to be used on the findMy network? Is it a hardware thing? So what if users ditch the premium paid app from tile, shouldn't that be their choice? It sounds like tile is taking choice away from its customers instead of expanding it. They could always join Samsung trackers, everyone is always saying how Samsung sells so many phones. Oh wait, their trackers only work with Samsung phones, snap

 

[Think|Different]

Finally — they are making a move, as a company, that makes sense for their business.

 

[Sound214]

Wow, what wallet is that in the picture? It looks incredible!

 

[Kierkegaarden]

I’m assuming that Amazon will release their own tracker in the future, so this honeymoon may be short.

 

[trifid]

Love it, this will give Apple healthy competition. Sorry Apple, no laurel-resting on this product category ?

 

[DaveTheRave]

So why doesn't tile allow its trackers to be used on the findMy network? Is it a hardware thing? So what if users ditch the premium paid app from tile, shouldn't that be their choice? It sounds like tile is taking choice away from its customers instead of expanding it. They could always join Samsung trackers, everyone is always saying how Samsung sells so many phones. Oh wait, their trackers only work with Samsung phones, snap

They can do that, but it would not be backwards compatible with existing Tiles that don't have the right chip inside. Even Chipolo has only one model that is Find My friendly, the others they sell are not compatible - buyer beware.

 

[kiensoy]

That’s why I love competition.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

...thus proving Apple doesn't have a monopoly. (unsaid)

 

[Corsig]

I hope this technology is open to Apple as well or that would be unfair competition

 

[PJWilkin]

Time to switch off Amazon Sidewalk on my ring devices

 

[anek007]

It’s almost like competition forces them to innovate

Amazon sidewalk and tile has been in the works since last year. They didn’t all of a sudden come together because of airtags ? maybe it will push Apple to use the U1 chip of the HomePod to use with airtags.

 

[alexandr]

Wow, what wallet is that in the picture? It looks incredible!

it kinda reminds me of a magic flip wallet i had many moons ago

Magic Wallet - Magical Flip, for Men Women Kids - Genuine Leather Thin Wallet 3 Colors - black - S

International products have separate terms, are sold from abroad and may differ from local products, including fit, age ratings, and language of product, labeling or instructions.

www.amazon.co.uk

Flip Wallet: Black & Orange

Slim alternative to a traditional wallet. 4 Credit card compartments. RFID shielded. Black carbon fibre leather with orange leather. Securely holds bank notes.

www.dalvey.com

 

[Take Flight]

They can do that, but it would not be backwards compatible with existing Tiles that don't have the right chip inside. Even Chipolo has only one model that is Find My friendly, the others they sell are not compatible - buyer beware.

Have they said they are not making future ones find my compatible? Seems like a no-brainer for any of these devices. I can see FindMy capability being built directly into car key fobs and tons of other products as well.

 

[_Spinn_]

Time to switch off Amazon Sidewalk on my ring devices

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[alexandr]

I’m assuming that Amazon will release their own tracker in the future, so this honeymoon may be short.

yup — the amazone

 

[Altivec88]

This just isn't fair. Tile and amazon better be opening this up and let Apple use all their infrastructure for free or this is antirust. What's fair is fair, right tile.

 

[zombierunner]

RIP Tile.

 

[nwcs]

This does undermine the previous whining Tile did. I wonder how long until there is some universal protocol that standardizes all this stuff? No doubt it would then be put to unexpected uses…

 

[Art Mark]

Watching Tile walk off the pier. They could join Apple's Find My Network, but...dumb.

 

[CygnusTC]

oh sure....allow Amazon to "track me"? Is it bad enough they got caught listening in on Alexa devices...the hell with that!!!