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

[Googlyhead]

There’s been Bluetooth trackers from various companies (knockoffs or not) for years. The only difference Tile has from them is brand recognition and subsequent installed user base.

Because instead of buying them they can harvest all their IP and make their own tracker for less.

Which essentially means; Amazon could easily have an ‘Amazon Basics’ tracker on sale probably within hours if they wanted. While if their network can already manage the detection; all that’s missing is the app…

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

I think it’s more a deflection of blame; they’re fully expecting to lose a good chunk of their customers directly to Airtags.
And it’s not just the loss of sales/subscriptions, but that those previous customers will no longer have any need for the Tile app, which means the installed base used for crowdsource detection diminishes.

This partnership is an attempt to replace the lost detection devices, but still keep the Tile network as a ‘special’ feature. If they switched to a competitor, or an open one that ran on all Android devices (for example); why would anyone buy a Tile rather than the cheapest alternative that can also run on the same network?

 

[Kilibee]

People will pick airtags over chipolo just it’s apple any day of the week. There’s no advantage for picking chipolo.

I have four AirTags and still I will buy a Chipolo for its better form factor. I think that Chipolo may sell much more of the new ones than of the existing products.

 

[Kilibee]

They're forced to choose Find My or Tile. Apple doesn't allow them to put their devices on Find My and have them on their own network. Apple notes this is to ensure the privacy aspect of it all...

Given Tiles history, this seems like a good thing.

 

[Krizoitz]

lol thank you for the big love letter to Apple. We get it, you love Apple and they never do anything wrong.

Nice strawman. Show me we’re in wrong or all you’ve done is prove you have no argument.

 

[MY_USERNAME]

It’s almost like competition forces them to innovate

Exactly! Why, until now, did Tile never consider this? When Apple begins expanding this into other things like air quality sensors, thermometers and humidistats, decibel meters, etc they’ll start crying not fair when these were obviously the next steps.

 

[genovelle]

Apple didn’t give Tile access to U1. Without U1, they are inferior to AirTags.

Amazon will buy Tile like they bought Ring.

Apple is preparing testing U1 access with 3rd parties so it is coming. They always run new tech 1st party before the start sharing new tech. They had been using find my for years

 

[1258186]

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

The Tile CEO said he welcomes competition from Apple but wants a level playing field. That sounds reasonable to me.

 

[1258186]

Time to switch off Amazon Sidewalk on my ring devices

I fail to see the logic. If Tile goes and Apple has no competition there is no incentive for them to continue improving the AirTags.

 

[jonnysods]

Tile will now become the Pebble Watch of tracking devices now AirTags are out. I hope they can stick it out.

 

[hellosil]

So instead of hoping someone with an iPhone passes your lost item, you have to hope someone with an Echo or Ring passes it. You know, things that need to be plugged in to work.

Yes, so if you left your item at a friends place that is into the Android / Amazon ecosystem it can find your item.
And while traveling to that friend you probably passed an Echo / Ring / Tile enabled device, so you'll have a clue as to where the item can be.

Nevertheless, I'm buying an AirTag.

 

[IllinoisCorn]

I suppose if I am going to allow any company to "track me" or keep tabs on my items, I will allow Apple to do it.

Just don't trust Tile or Amazon or anyone else.

Maybe I am falling for the marketing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[IllinoisCorn]

Tile will now become the Pebble Watch of tracking devices now AirTags are out. I hope they can stick it out.

Tile as the Android alternative? Unless people really like the Samsung product.

 

[IllinoisCorn]

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

Why would they? Why not just create a robust second network for non-iPhone users? I can't imagine Tile wants to lock itself in to Apple's privacy policies.

 

[paulovsouza]

This proves that these million dollar companies, crying about the little guys is crap. Tile was the market leader, sitting comfy on top. Nothing was stopping them from innovating, and improving at the level of AirTags. And don’t say that the close ecosystem has anything to do with it. They did this without out, and now instead of improving their app, they have Find My.

 

[krspkbl]

lol pathetic. nothing will compete with having millions of iphones. nice try i suppose.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Well it will work out better in the house but outside the house the find my network is still much more extensive.

 

[jonnysods]

Tile as the Android alternative? Unless people really like the Samsung product.

Good call I hadn’t considered that.

I want to see Tile stick around, I prefer a good healthy competitive market, it’s better for everyone across the board.

 

[Krizoitz]

The Tile CEO said he welcomes competition from Apple but wants a level playing field. That sounds reasonable to me.

Then Tile should spend billions of dollars building its own popular phone platform.

Tile welcomes competition? Part of competition is strategizing to have a competitive advantage, which Apple has done by building the platform.

Having a competitive advantage isn’t illegal or wrong. Apple didn’t do anything illegal to be successful, why should they be punished for it? Why should Tile get to benefit “equally” when they didn’t contribute equally? We aren’t talking about some essential thing here like food or water. Tile isn’t entitled to Apples technology.

 

[ScottishDuck]

In response to competition from the privacy focussed company, we’re going to partner with the anti-privacy companies!

 

[JM]

Apple should sue Amazon for not allowing them to be a part of Amazon Sidewalk network.

 

[I7guy]

The Tile CEO said he welcomes competition from Apple but wants a level playing field. That sounds reasonable to me.

Sure even if tile ceo wins a lawsuit to open up apple tech or tattle to Congress to pass anti-trust legislation that will enable tile to use Apples’ tech…is reasonable?

 

[Abazigal]

I fail to see the logic. If Tile goes and Apple has no competition there is no incentive for them to continue improving the AirTags.

I doubt Tile was providing any sort of meaningful competition that would spur Apple on anyways.

My suspicion is that Apple started designing Airtags due to their own internal research / feedback showing the numerous problems tile hardware (and software) was causing for their users. However, Apple isn't doing this to muscle in on Tile's turf just because.

Rather, what Apple is doing is lay the groundwork for eventually digitizing our non-smart devices by making them visible in location layers. AR applications will be able to utilize these location layers since they will serve as a foundation for adding context to our surroundings. In this context, it doesn't matter which brand of tracker you use so long as it feeds into the "find my" network. Either way, Apple wins.

Once that is established, release AR glasses and the wearables market is pretty much in the bag for Apple.

What Tile will likely end up doing (assuming it stays in business) will be to continue appealing to android users (pretty much the Pebble Playbook). We will then see a similar Apple Watch vs Pebble / Fitbit dynamic play out, where airtags become the default choice for iOS users, and Tile for Android users, with neither crossing paths ever again because they are each effectively targeting completely different markets.

But because tile trackers are effectively an end in themselves, rather than a means to an end (ie: AR glasses), this may also be as far as they go. Tile will never have the resources to build their own "find my" network the way Apple has. My guess is that they eventually get acquired by either Google or Amazon eventually, and this antitrust lawsuit from them gets tossed out the window.

 

[cawsllyffant]

And that’s where tile lost this long time customer. I’ve used and swore by them since almost the beginning.

 

[ToddFSU]

Locate your Tile using Amazon's Echo-Location™ 🐬

 

[Kabeyun]

Yeah, I’m good with Amazon always knowing my (stuff’s) location. /s