Apple has announced a new generation of AirTag, and while it may look exactly the same as the old one, this update is far more significant than it first appears.
The company has focused on the three biggest pain points of the original AirTag: range, audibility, and real-world usability — and the result is a tracker that’s meaningfully better for everyday use, especially for travel.
Same Design, New Internals
Visually, nothing has changed. The new AirTag keeps the same compact, button-sized design, which means all existing accessories and mounts continue to work.
But inside, Apple has upgraded the core technology — and that’s where the real story is.
Precision Finding Gets a Major Upgrade
The new AirTag uses Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which significantly improves Precision Finding.
In practical terms:
- You can now locate items from much farther away
- Directional guidance is more accurate
- Finding lost items is faster and less frustrating
This is the feature that made AirTag stand out from Tile and other trackers in the first place — and now it’s even better.
Better Range Across the Find My Network
Apple has also improved the AirTag’s wireless range, making it more likely to be detected by nearby Apple devices.
That matters most in places like:
- Airports
- Parking garages
- Apartment buildings
- Dense cities
The Find My network was already one of AirTag’s biggest advantages. Increasing its effective range makes the system even more powerful.
A Speaker That’s Finally Loud Enough
One of the most common complaints about the original AirTag was simple: it wasn’t loud enough.
Apple says the new model is about 50% louder and includes a new alert tone. This should make a real difference when an AirTag is stuck inside a bag, under furniture, or buried in a pile of clothes.
It’s a small change, but one that fixes a daily annoyance.
Precision Finding Comes to Apple Watch
For the first time, Precision Finding now works directly on Apple Watch (Series 9, Ultra 2, and newer).
This turns the Apple Watch into a true finding device:
- No iPhone required
- Just raise your wrist and follow the directions
- Especially useful for quick searches at home or on the go
It’s a quiet but smart expansion of the ecosystem.
Built for Travel: Location Sharing
Apple is also leaning harder into AirTag’s role as a travel accessory.
You can now temporarily share an AirTag’s location with trusted people — including participating airlines — to help recover lost luggage.
Given how many travelers already rely on AirTags to track bags, this feels like Apple formalizing something people were already doing anyway.
Privacy Still Front and Center
As expected, Apple continues to emphasize privacy:
- Location data is end-to-end encrypted
- No location history is stored on the device
- Apple itself can’t see where your AirTag is
This remains a key differentiator compared to many competing trackers.
Pricing and Availability
Apple is keeping pricing unchanged in the US:
- $29 for one AirTag
- $99 for a 4-pack
- Free engraving through Apple
The Takeaway
This isn’t a flashy redesign, but it is a highly practical upgrade.
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