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When to Expect an AirTag 2 to Launch

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Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, and the item tracking accessory has not received any hardware updates since then.

airtag-purple.jpg

Below, we recap rumors about when the second-generation AirTag is expected to be released, as well as potential new features and changes.

Timing

In a report today outlining his expectations for Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 event, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman briefly mentioned that Apple is developing a new AirTag, but he does not expect the accessory to be released until 2025:
A fresh AirTag is also in development, though Apple isn't planning a release until next year either.
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He did not provide any additional details about the next AirTag in the report.

In October 2023, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of the second-generation AirTag had been postponed from the fourth quarter of 2024 until some point in 2025, but he did not provide a reason for the apparent change in plans. Kuo and Gurman are thus in agreement that a new AirTag is not coming until next year.

Features

Gurman previously said the new AirTag would feature an upgraded chip with improved location tracking. If so, the AirTag could be updated with the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip that debuted in all iPhone 15 models last year.

Kuo believes the new AirTag will have some kind of integration with Apple's Vision Pro headset, but he has not shared any specific details.

No design changes have been rumored for the AirTag so far. Read our AirTag 2 guide for more.

Article Link: When to Expect an AirTag 2 to Launch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/09/06/when-to-expect-airtag-2-to-launch/
I've really liked the AirTags so far, anything that can build on that would be great.

I use them in suitcases and rucksacks, always nice to see the tags all group up on your plane before you depart (or induce maximum anxiety if they don't!).
 
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Between new functionality, improved range, longer battery life and lower cost I’d probably take longer battery life first, cost second, range third and new functionality dead last. Slap a more power sipping chip in there, take $10 off it and call it a day.
 
contacos said:
You can add routines to it like turning on the light by pressing on it once
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You can do something similar with AirTags by setting up a Personal Automation to run when tapping it with your phone. Would be cool to be able to run it by pressing a button on the AirTag though.
 
I find that changing the battery of AirTags to be incredibly tedious. I have one AirTag that no matter how many times I replace the battery, it drains in two weeks.
 
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Going from BT 5.2 to 5.3 would be a good upgrade. Channel classification and Connection Subrating would bring improvements to connectivity and reduce power consumption.
 
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Probably waiting for the new Bluetooth 6.0 which from what I read, is going to be great! Not until next year though.
 
I've never seen an AitTag in person, but is there a way to make them thinner? In the photos I've seen they look pretty bulbus, especially when stuck to a wallet or whatever.
 
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Zeke92 said:
I find that changing the battery of AirTags to be incredibly tedious. I have one AirTag that no matter how many times I replace the battery, it drains in two weeks.
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That definitely doesn't sound normal. I've had four AirTags for a few years now and have only replaced the battery in them once so far. My replacement batteries (Energizer) seem to be lasting longer than the original ones. Also, make sure your batteries don't have the bitter coating.
 
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goobot said:
This is what I’m thinking, rechargeable with Qi, MagSafe, or Apple Watch charger would be great
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Only problem is battery life. Rechargeable batteries are a great convenience, but they hold a charge significantly less time. That said, I would be happy with 6 months if they could pull that off. If it goes down to 30 days for a rechargeable version though, I would find that much more frustrating than changing out batteries yearly. Seems like we are already overwhelmed with the things we have to constantly throw on a charger. If you have like 6 airtags that would mean having one on the charger every 5 days or doing them all on the same day but having to micro manage them throughout the day, because most of us don't have 6 small form factor wireless or Apple Watch chargers.
 
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alfonsog said:
Are they going to start numbering everything? They could release new AirTags and just call them AirTags.
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I think MacRumors is just using this as a nickname. Apple only numbers the phones and watches (other than generation).
 
Zeke92 said:
I find that changing the battery of AirTags to be incredibly tedious. I have one AirTag that no matter how many times I replace the battery, it drains in two weeks.
Click to expand...

SAME or it hardly opens, doesn't appear on my iPhone once I change the battery unless I take out the battery like 5 times or I can't get it to close again.
 
Bluetooth 6 & rechargeable battery that lasts longer would make for good update.
 
Zeke92 said:
I find that changing the battery of AirTags to be incredibly tedious. I have one AirTag that no matter how many times I replace the battery, it drains in two weeks.
Click to expand...
My batteries last one year. However, I have an AirTag attached to a keychain with my car's fob that I keep in a Faraday cage at home to prevent someone from skimming the fob. When the AirTag is in the box, it is pinging constantly (because it can't talk to anything outside of the box) and the battery drains very quickly, so now I leave the AirTag hanging outside of the box and it seems happy.
 
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Zeke92 said:
I find that changing the battery of AirTags to be incredibly tedious. I have one AirTag that no matter how many times I replace the battery, it drains in two weeks.
Click to expand...
That wouldn't so happen to involve duracell CR2032 batteries? I got a pack from Costco, and they have an extra film on them to make them 'unsavory' to put in one's mouth, but that film mucks with the Airtag's ability to accurately measure voltage/current, whatever it is using the gauge battery life.

My father in law visited today, and we're going on an overseas trip next week, so I got him a few airtags.. To my surprise, his older iPhone 6S running iOS 15.x becomes a barrier for sharing airtags with me on iOS 18.

So, as good as they are, me being able to take advantage of the UWB chip becomes a no go, because we can't share the airtag due to software limitations. That kinda sucks. I'm either knower of all, with tags visible from my phone, or he gets a still useful map of where the airtag kind of is on a map... but could be a bit better.
 
jicon said:
That wouldn't so happen to involve duracell CR2032 batteries? I got a pack from Costco, and they have an extra film on them to make them 'unsavory' to put in one's mouth, but that film mucks with the Airtag's ability to accurately measure voltage/current, whatever it is using the gauge battery life.
Click to expand...
The batteries with the bitterant coating are worthless in the AirTag. I get the Energizer ones but check the label because some have the bitterant coating and some don't.
 
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When the AirTag was first announced I remember reading articles about patents pertaining to its use with a headset and I got excited at the possibilities…. Then Vision Pro finally comes out and doesn’t even have uwb🙄 so I don’t see how that rumor can hold any validity
 
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