Apple AirTag Review: A New Way to Track Your Valuables
Retail price: $29.00
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When I first heard about the release of the Apple AirTag I thought: Wait, doesn’t this already exist? Did Apple just copy a technology that has been around for the better part of a decade?
After spending some time with the Apple AirTag, I can confidently say that no, Apple didn’t reinvent the wheel here hardware wise. The software of the Apple AirTag is where the magic lies. With seamless integration (hello Apple products) and one of the quickest setups I’ve ever had with a new piece of hardware (under a minute), The Apple AirTag is the new way to track your valuables.
Starting at $29 for one or $99 for a 4 pack, the Apple AirTag is simple to set up and connect to your iPhone or iPad. To pair, turn on Bluetooth and hold the AirTag close to the device. You’ll see a pop up that prompts you to connect the AirTag. Once you connect, you can then assign the AirTag to the item you’ll be tracking. You can use one of their available descriptions such as “luggage” or “keys” or make up your own nickname. Once finished, you will see the Apple AirTag in your “Find My” app. Just keep in mind that you may want to explore some of the privacy settings after connecting if that’s important to you. The AirTag’s battery life is designed to last a full year. Once it dies you can easily replace the battery yourself. This is a very mature and refreshing move on Apple’s part since you usually need their Geniuses to do anything.
The Device
The coin shaped AirTag weighs 0.39oz and measures 1.26” x 0.31”. It’s rated IP67 and therefore is water resistant for a maximum depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. The AirTag sports Bluetooth connectivity and the Apple U1 chip that’s used for the ultra-wideband precision finding. It has a built-in speaker to ping you when looking for the AirTag, and a built-in accelerometer sensor. One thing to note is that the AirTag requires iOS 14.5 or later, and Precision Finding is only available with the iPhone 11 or newer.
The AirTag has the textbook “Apple Look”. It’s slick, simple, clean and sports that Apple white on one side and stainless steel on the other. When purchasing your AirTag, you can actually add an engraving of emojis, text and numbers for free (a very un Apple-y move). On the other hand, in a very Apple-y move, the AirTag does not come with a case. All you receive in the box is the coin shaped device. This is impractical and an inconvenience because there is no way to attach the AirTag to anything without a case. There are plenty of 3rd party sellers you can purchase a case from. A genuine Apple case will cost you anywhere from $13 - $35.
Finding Your Sh*t
To find your AirTag you must use the “Find My” App. On the app you can ping the AirTag and it will play a sound with its built in speaker. You can also ask Siri with “Hey Siri, find my keys”. You are then presented with a map, and soon thereafter starts the mini game of hide and seek.
Speaking of games, remember that childhood game “Hot and Cold”? Well Apple brought that back as a way to find your AirTag. With Precision Finding, you can clearly see the distance to your AirTag and the direction you should be headed in. This is all due to the incorporated Ultra Wideband technology that Apple has integrated into the device.
If you’re too far from your AirTag (more than 33 feet), or have no idea where you left it along with your valuables – at the gym? The park? The bar? Don’t fret because this next feature is what makes the AirTag cutting edge technology. Apple has implemented a technology that utilizes the Apple network of users. The “Find My” network consists of millions of Apple devices that can help you track down those pesky keys. The AirTag will utilize the location services on Apple devices in its vicinity to continuously share its location with you. With the location sharing, you can then track down your AirTag on your own. Although, if you get home and realize that you left something behind, you can also activate Lost Mode which will display the location of the AirTag for you and utilize that Apple network to help track down the precise location of your valuables. When Lost Mode is activated, anyone with an NFC enabled phone who finds your valuables and AirTag can scan the tag to pull up your contact information (and hopefully return the item to you). Apple is putting a lot of faith in the good Samaritan that they will find, scan, and go out of their way to contact you. Call me cynical, but I think that’s putting a lot of faith in the goodness of people’s hearts to return your lost valuables.
There is a safeguard that Apple has implemented which allows you to add separation alerts to the Find My app. This is designed to let you know whenever you leave an Apple device attached to an AirTag behind.
Some Security Concerns
If you haven’t considered some security issues, let me bring them to your attention.
Since the whole point of an AirTag is to track an item on a phone, what is stopping someone from tracking a person instead of their keys? What if someone is trying to track a person with malicious intent and without their knowledge? Apple claims they’ve incorporated safeguards to detect and prevent attempts to use the AirTags maliciously. There is an alert that can be triggered when the AirTag detects that it’s accompanying someone who is not the owner. The alert can appear on the victim’s phone (if they are an iPhone user) but can also raise an alert on the tag itself. These aren’t foolproof methods and workarounds can be found. As these devices become more common, you will start to see more of these tag warnings around you. Just like any other spam email, many users will grow tired of seeing these alerts and start ignoring them.
Alright so you can track your keys. What else can you use this Apple AirTag for? Well I’ve come up with some ideas for AirTag placements that are both in and out of the box:
· Your car
· Your child’s backpack
· Your pet – attach it to their collar
· Yourself – share your location with loved ones
· Luggage – do you have a black suitcase like the rest of the world? Stick an Apple AirTag in your bag preflight and you’ll be able to find your suitcase in a jiffy
· Your bicycle
· Want to play an epic game of hide and seek, or a city-wide high-tech scavenger hunt? Well, buy a bunch of AirTags, distribute, and let the games begin!
Final Thoughts
AirTags are powerful because Apple utilizes their huge device network. I would recommend the AirTag if you’re someone who is constantly misplacing their valuables or losing their car in parking lots and are willing to spend a minimum of ~$45. Overall, a very impressive product and it would be interesting to see where Apple takes this technology next.
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Michelle
Michelle is a travel enthusiast always looking for smart new gadgets to make life a little easier. Coming from a marketing background, she can easily distinguish between fluff and function. Despite not being the ‘techiest’ tech aficionado, she seeks to find that sweet spot between price and features with emphasis on smart, user-friendly design.