ARTICLE – Trackers aren’t about specs. They’re about the five minutes you spend muttering into the space between your car seat and the center console because the beep isn’t loud enough and your phone keeps pointing at the floor.
Price: $29
Where to Buy: Apple
Apple’s second generation AirTag doesn’t look different or cost more, but it’s louder, faster, and better at guiding you through that last frustrating stretch where you know it’s close but can’t quite see it. That’s the only update that mattered, and Apple delivered it.
So, we ask: does this make losing things less annoying, or just slightly less annoying?
What Actually Changed
Apple swapped in its second generation Ultra Wideband chip, the same one that’s been shipping in recent iPhones and Apple Watches. That change brings longer Bluetooth range and more accurate Precision Finding, which means your phone can start pointing you in the right direction from farther away.
The speaker got louder. Apple says it’s 50 percent louder and audible from twice the distance, and that’s the kind of upgrade that matters when you’re listening over a running dishwasher or a noisy lobby. The old AirTag chirp felt polite, and polite doesn’t cut it when you’re in a hurry.
Precision Finding now works on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. That wrist based guidance is a small convenience win, especially when your hands are full or you’re juggling bags at a door. The arrow stays visible, and you don’t have to keep pulling your phone out.
Share Item Location is new, and it’s aimed at travel. You can generate a temporary link to share with participating airlines, which turns the vague customer service loop into something you can point to. It won’t solve every baggage problem, but it’s a cleaner starting point than describing your suitcase color over the phone.
Pricing stayed flat at 29 dollars for one AirTag or 99 dollars for a four pack. Free engraving is still available, and that’s a nice touch for anyone who wants their initials on a disc they’ll probably never look at again after setup.
Why Now, and Why It Matters
AirTag launched in 2021, and the honeymoon phase ended fast. What remained was the boring part where you want the tracker to stay invisible until the moment you actually need it, and then you want it to work without friction.
That’s why a louder speaker matters more than it sounds. The most common losses aren’t dramatic, they’re small and irritating. A wallet wedged behind a backpack strap, keys buried under mail, a remote that slid into a couch crack. The old chirp worked, but it didn’t always cut through ambient noise, and that gap added frustration.
The Find My network is still the strongest part of the system. The idea that nearby Apple devices can anonymously surface an approximate location feels almost too convenient, and the scale of that network is hard to compete with. It’s the quiet infrastructure that makes AirTag feel less like a gadget and more like a utility.
Share Item Location is a smaller change, but it points toward a less chaotic future for lost luggage. Being able to send a link to an airline shifts the conversation from vague descriptions to concrete data, and that shift is overdue.
Who Should Skip This
Pass on this if you don’t already own Apple devices that support Find My. Without that ecosystem, the tracker loses the smoothness that makes it worth carrying, and you’re better off with a platform agnostic option.
Avoid it if you’re tired of buying separate keyring cases. The stubborn lack of a built in hole still feels like a design choice made for Apple’s aesthetic preferences instead of your pockets, and that extra layer adds bulk and cost.
Hold off if your iPhone or Apple Watch is older and won’t support the new Precision Finding features. It’ll still track, but you’ll miss the cleaner direction and wrist guidance that make this update feel like more than a spec bump.
Look elsewhere if you’re tracking pets. AirTag isn’t built for moving targets, and the gaps in real time tracking can lead to frustration. Buy a tracker designed for that job instead.
Who This Is For
Already using Find My? This update trims the annoying part without overhauling your routine. More range and a louder chime won’t change your day, but they’ll change a few specific moments where seconds matter, and that’s enough.
Apple Watch wearers get the cleanest win here. Wrist based Precision Finding means the arrow stays visible when your hands are full or you’re juggling bags at a door, and that small shift in convenience is the kind of thing you feel immediately.
Price: $29
Where to Buy: Apple
Frequent travelers should pay attention to Share Item Location. Giving an airline a temporary link to your luggage turns a vague customer service loop into something concrete, and while it won’t solve every baggage problem, it points toward a less chaotic recovery process.
Apple AirTag (1st Generation). Keep Track of and find Your Keys, Wallet, Luggage, Backpack, and More. Simple one-tap Set up with iPhone or iPad, Bluetooth
10% Off
