Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
Apple announced its new AirTag item trackers this week and sent me several to try out so I can show you what they look like.
The $ 29 AirTag ($ 99 for a pack of 4) is a tiny metal tracker that you attach to a keychain, put in a pocket, or snap onto your luggage to keep track of those items. It’s similar to Tile’s competing products, which have drawn the company’s ire but are linked directly to Apple’s Find My app. It’s the same app that lets you use other Apple products like your iPhone, family and friends, or, more recently, some third-party devices.
AirTag uses a Bluetooth signal to access a network of around one billion Apple devices worldwide, such as iPhones and Macs, that also send a Bluetooth signal. If you lose something with an AirTag attached, you will receive a notification of the location where someone with an iPhone or Mac is within Bluetooth range. Also, anyone who finds the item will see a custom message and phone number that you enter when reporting the loss.
It’s a smart product for Apple. This increases the likelihood that customers will keep buying iPhones when those things are already attached to a number of items they don’t want to lose.
What AirTag looks like
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | CNBC
This is the AirTag. It’s a quarter-size tracker. It’s glossy white on one side and metal on the other. Both sides scratch pretty easily. You can customize it with an emoji or letter before buying one. It’s water resistant so you can splash it or accidentally drop it into a puddle without damaging it. I ran one under the sink and it still works.
There is a replaceable CR2032 battery, the type of coin-operated battery you can find in a wristwatch that should last about a year. You will get a warning before it dies and you can buy replacement batteries from grocery stores and pharmacies.
How to set up AirTag
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
It took me about 20 seconds to set up an AirTag. Just pull out a small battery to put it in pairing mode, bring it near your iPhone with iOS 14.5 or later, then tap “Connect” on your phone’s pop-up. It’s like pairing AirPods.
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
Then enter a name for the item you are tracking. There are some standard suggestions like “backpack” and “key”, but you can name it anything you want. After that, just confirm that you register it with your Apple ID – and everything is set.
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
Then just clip the AirTag to the item you want to track – you can stick it on a keychain, slip it in a backpack or bag, or put it in your wallet or purse – and you’re good to go.
How to Find Lost Things with AirTag
Once set up, you can track the location of one of your AirTags if you have an internet connection. Just open the “Find My” app on your iPhone or iPad, tap “Items” and select the app you want to track.
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | CNBC
If you lose an AirTagged item somewhere – maybe you left it at an airport or park – visit the item page in the Find My app and tap Lost Mode. There you can add a custom message and phone number for anyone who finds it and sign up to receive a notification when it is found. You can only turn on notifications when you are out of range. This is very helpful as it can tell if the item is still around by preventing you from setting notifications.
When someone with an iPhone comes within range of the AirTag, they will receive a notification that an AirTagged item is nearby. But even if they don’t pick it up, you’ll get a warning on your iPhone showing where the AirTag was at that point.
I tried this by bringing my wife’s iPhone near the AirTag and I got a notification on my iPhone that the AirTag was at my address.
An Android phone can also help retrieve a lost AirTag.
Todd Haselton | CNBC
This works even if someone with an Android device finds it, as long as the device has an NFC chip – and most modern devices do. I tested it by tapping the back of an Android phone and the Android phone launched a web browser that showed my phone number and said the item was lost.
Some of you may have privacy concerns – what if someone throws an AirTag in your pocket to track you? Apple says it thought about it. If an AirTag is separated from its owner and is out with someone else – let’s say you walk one in your pocket without realizing it – an alarm will play.
Once you spot it, you can tap the AirTag on an iPhone or NFC-compatible Android device and get instructions on how to deactivate it. (You can remove the battery by squeezing the back of the AirTag and turning it counterclockwise.) There’s no way to report abuse to Apple, but you can take them to law enforcement for help. You may need to provide the police with the AirTag and / or the serial number associated with the owner’s Apple ID.
Precision tracking with iPhone 11 and iPhone 12
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
If you have an iPhone 11 or later, you can use the built-in ultra-broadband chip to find the exact location of an AirTag. That means your iPhone directs you to the keys that are hidden in your sofa.
Just open the Find My app, tap Find Nearby, and your iPhone will use a combination of sensors and cameras to guide you to the lost item. It shows you how far something is and displays an arrow on the screen that tells you which direction to go.
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
Apple also offers a shortcut for flashlights when you’re hunting in the dark and an audio option to make the AirTag emit loud beeps. It’s loud enough that I could hear it from adjacent rooms in my house.
Should You Buy AirTag?
Apple AirTag
Todd Haselton | Apple
I think it’s a great device if you’re in Apple’s ecosystem and you’re using an iPhone. I plan to leave one on a pair of keys that I keep losing, and I could put one in a small backpack in case I accidentally leave it somewhere like the park.
Just know that it doesn’t necessarily prevent theft. Anyone who discovers an AirTag in a stolen item can simply remove the battery or throw it elsewhere. Really, it’s best to salvage items that you’ve lost or that are hanging around the house somewhere.
You can order them from Friday.
