After literal years of rumors and leaks, Apple has at long last officially announced its accessory for tracking things like keys, wallets and bags through the same “Find My” app you use to find your various Apple devices when you lose them in the couch.
Called “AirTag” (curiously, not “AirTags”), Apple says they’ll cost $29 each or $99 for a four pack, and launch on April 30. They’ll have user-replaceable batteries but, oddly, no built-in attachment loop; if you want to attach it to something like a keyring, you’ll need to add a case. Which, of course, they’ll be making and selling.
Each AirTag has a built-in speaker for helping you track down lost items, and you can engrave them with texts and/or select emoji for free when you buy them online.
Apple today officially unveiled AirTag, its location tracking beacons that can help Apple device owners find lost items through Apple’s “Find My” application. The AirTags themselves are small, rounded tracking devices that can be attached to personal items, like purses, bags or keys. Pre-orders start April 23 and are $29 USD for one AirTag or $99 for a pack of four.
The item tracking uses the company’s proprietary U1 ultra-wideband chip for what it calls “Precision Finding.” This will work with Apple’s newer iPhones (iPhone 11, 11 Pro and the newer iPhone 12 devices) using the U1 chip and ultra-wideband, as well as other input from the camera, ARKit, accelerator and gyroscope. This way, the Find My app can guide users to a lost AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics and visual feedback.
