Apple Unveils Next-Generation AirTag with Greater Range, Louder Sound, and Smarter Finding Capabilities
Apple has officially introduced the next generation of AirTag, its popular tracking accessory designed to help users locate and protect their most valuable everyday belongings. With significant upgrades in connectivity range, sound output, and precision tracking, the new AirTag marks a major evolution of Apple’s item-finding technology. Built to work seamlessly with the Find My app and powered by Apple’s expanding ecosystem of devices, the updated AirTag offers users faster, easier, and more reliable ways to find lost or misplaced items.
Since its debut in 2021, AirTag has become an essential tool for millions of users worldwide. From keys and wallets to luggage, bicycles, and musical instruments, AirTag has helped people recover countless lost items. Apple shared several real-world stories highlighting the impact of AirTag: a musician who was able to locate a missing instrument just in time for a performance, and a traveler who recovered lost luggage containing lifesaving medication. These examples illustrate how AirTag has moved beyond convenience to become a meaningful part of everyday life.
The new AirTag continues Apple’s focus on simplicity, privacy, and performance. Designed exclusively for tracking objects—not people or pets—it combines cutting-edge hardware with Apple’s industry-leading privacy protections. Despite the advanced upgrades, Apple has kept pricing unchanged: $29 for a single AirTag and $99 for a four-pack. Customers can also enjoy free personalized engraving when purchasing through Apple’s website or the Apple Store app.
A New Standard in Range and Findability
At the heart of the new AirTag is Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, the same technology found in the latest iPhone 17 lineup, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch Series 11. This powerful chip significantly enhances the ability to locate items with remarkable accuracy and reliability.
With Precision Finding, users can now locate their AirTag from up to 50 percent farther away than before. The Find My app guides users through a combination of visual cues, haptic feedback, and audio signals, making it easier to track down items even in complex environments. Whether a set of keys has slipped between couch cushions or a wallet has been left behind at home, the updated AirTag provides intuitive guidance that leads users directly to their belongings.
In addition to improved UWB performance, Apple has upgraded the Bluetooth chip inside AirTag, further expanding the range at which items can be detected. This means users are more likely to receive location updates even when their AirTag is farther away from their iPhone.
For the first time, Precision Finding is also available on Apple Watch. Users with Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, can locate their AirTag directly from their wrist. This integration brings a powerful new level of convenience, enabling users to find items without needing to reach for their iPhone.
Sound has also received a major upgrade. With a redesigned internal structure, the new AirTag produces a sound that is up to 50 percent louder than the previous generation. This makes it easier to hear in noisy environments or when an item is hidden from view. Combined with a distinctive new chime and enhanced Precision Finding, the new AirTag ensures that lost items are easier to locate than ever before.
The Power of the Find My Network
One of AirTag’s greatest strengths lies in Apple’s Find My network, a vast, crowdsourced system of Apple devices that helps locate lost items securely and anonymously. When an AirTag is out of range of its paired iPhone, nearby Apple devices can detect its Bluetooth signal and relay its approximate location back to the owner. This process happens automatically and privately, without revealing the identity or location of the devices that assist in the search.
The Find My network allows users to locate not only AirTags but also Apple devices and compatible third-party accessories, all within a single interface. Whether tracking personal belongings or staying connected with friends and family, Find My delivers a unified and secure experience that reflects Apple’s commitment to user privacy.
Share Item Location: A Smarter Way to Recover Lost Items
Apple has further enhanced the Find My experience with Share Item Location, a feature designed to make recovering misplaced items easier and more collaborative. With this feature, users can temporarily share the location of an AirTag with trusted third parties, such as airlines, to help recover lost luggage.
The new AirTag integrates seamlessly with Share Item Location, enabling users to generate a secure link that provides authorized personnel with access to the item’s location. Apple has partnered with more than 50 airlines worldwide to support this feature, allowing customer service teams to use shared location data to locate delayed or misplaced baggage more efficiently.
According to SITA, a leading IT provider for the airline industry, the adoption of Share Item Location has delivered measurable results. Airlines using the feature have reported a 26 percent reduction in baggage delays and a dramatic 90 percent decrease in cases of unrecoverable luggage. These improvements highlight how Apple’s technology can create tangible benefits not only for users but also for global industries.
Security and privacy remain central to Share Item Location. Access is granted only to authorized personnel through secure authentication systems, and users retain full control over their shared data. The shared location can be disabled at any time, automatically expires after seven days, and is removed immediately once the user recovers the item. This approach ensures that collaboration never comes at the expense of privacy.
Built with Privacy and Security at the Core
Apple has designed the new AirTag from the ground up to protect user privacy. Unlike traditional tracking devices, AirTag does not store location data or history on the device itself. All communication with the Find My network is protected with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the owner of the AirTag can access its location information.
Even Apple cannot see the identity or location of devices that help locate an AirTag. This privacy-first architecture sets AirTag apart in a market where tracking technologies often raise concerns about data misuse and surveillance.
To prevent unwanted tracking, the new AirTag includes a comprehensive set of industry-leading safeguards. These include cross-platform alerts that notify users if an unknown AirTag is detected near them, as well as frequently changing Bluetooth identifiers that make it difficult to misuse the device for tracking people. By designing AirTag exclusively for objects and embedding proactive safety features, Apple continues to address concerns around misuse while preserving the benefits of item tracking.
Designed with Sustainability in Mind
Environmental responsibility is another key pillar of the new AirTag. Apple’s broader Apple 2030 initiative aims to achieve carbon neutrality across the company’s entire footprint by the end of the decade. This includes reducing emissions from materials, manufacturing, electricity, and transportation.
The new AirTag reflects this commitment through its use of recycled materials and eco-conscious design. The enclosure is made with 85 percent recycled plastic, while all magnets contain 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. Apple has also used 100 percent recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards, further reducing the environmental impact of the device.
Packaging has also been redesigned with sustainability in mind. The new AirTag comes in 100 percent fiber-based packaging that is fully recyclable, helping minimize waste and reduce reliance on plastic.
Despite these internal changes, Apple has preserved the original AirTag’s compact form factor. This ensures full compatibility with existing AirTag accessories, allowing users to continue using key rings, holders, and other add-ons without needing replacements. Accessories such as the FineWoven Key Ring, made from 68 percent recycled content and available in multiple colors, further reflect Apple’s commitment to sustainable design.
Seamless Integration Across the Apple Ecosystem
One of the defining strengths of AirTag is its deep integration with the Apple ecosystem. The new AirTag works seamlessly with iPhone, Apple Watch, and other Apple devices, delivering a unified experience that feels intuitive and effortless.
On iPhone 17 Pro, users can view a detailed list of tracked items alongside a map that displays their locations. Individual items—such as backpacks, keys, or umbrellas—can be monitored in real time, with options to play sounds, activate Precision Finding, or share location details. This integration ensures that AirTag feels less like a standalone accessory and more like a natural extension of Apple’s devices.
By expanding Precision Finding to Apple Watch and enhancing Find My features, Apple is reinforcing its vision of a connected ecosystem where hardware, software, and services work together to simplify everyday tasks.
A Smarter Way to Stay Connected to What Matters
With its extended range, louder speaker, advanced UWB technology, and enhanced privacy protections, the new AirTag represents a significant leap forward in item tracking. It builds on the success of the original AirTag while addressing user needs for greater reliability, convenience, and security.
Whether helping travelers recover lost luggage, enabling busy professionals to keep track of essential items, or providing peace of mind to families, the new AirTag demonstrates how thoughtful technology can solve real-world problems. By combining powerful hardware, intelligent software, and a privacy-first approach, Apple continues to redefine what a small accessory can achieve.
Source Link:https://www.apple.com/
