Apple Airtag 2022 Review

Introduction

AirTags are a tool that can help you get back in touch with your lost belongings, and it’s one that’s helpful and simple to use.

They are easy to set up and use, and the Precision Finding feature can assist you in locating items that have been misplaced in a short time.

Apple has given considerable thought to issues of privacy to guarantee that the location trackers cannot be exploited in any way.

Nevertheless, there is no getting around the fact that they are an expensive accessory, particularly if you want to attach one to your keys or the straps of your bag.

 Advantages Helpful for locating items that have been misplaced

• Precision positioning is available on iPhone 11 and later models.
• Condensed, low in weight, and impervious to water
• Negatives If used with accessories, it can get quite pricey.
• Not compatible with Android devices.

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A quick two-minute recap

Since its introduction, the Apple AirTag tracker has demonstrated its value to iPhone owners who are prone to misplacing their keys, wallets, and other items of similar nature.

This is true even if the Apple AirTag tracker isn’t the first of its sort to be offered for sale.

Although an AirTag can only be used with an iPad running iPadOS 14.5 or later or an iPhone 11 or later (including the most current iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro smartphones), this does not restrict its compatibility..

This nifty device can be tucked inside of or attached to another object. Once it does so, it can deploy a few features to assist you in locating both items again, regardless of whether they are misplaced near your home or in a more remote location.

The first component is an emitter that sends out an audible beep to assist you in locating your AirTag by listening to its call.

This component is not the most cutting-edge, but it is still valid. If you want something more precise, you can use the iPhone that’s already been paired with the Apple AirTag and instead rely on the tracker’s signal over Bluetooth and ultra-wideband.

As long as your smartphone is within range of the tag, it will be able to decode the signal and use it—along with the information from its accelerometer, camera, and gyroscope—to display on-screen directions that lead to your missing item.

Find My AirTag is a service provided by Apple that can assist you in locating your AirTag if it is misplaced outside of your residence and not within it. If this occurs, there is no need for alarm because you can rely on Find My AirTag to do the job.

You can use your iPhone to activate the “Lost Mode” feature of the AirTag, which will cause every iPhone part of the Find My iPhone network to be on the lookout in secret for the item that you have misplaced.

You will receive an anonymous update on the location of the device whenever one of these devices comes within range of your AirTag.

However, it is essential to note that the person who passed by the tracker will not be informed that they are close to the tracker.

If someone finds the Apple AirTag the old-fashioned way, they can return it to you by using any NFC-capable device (whether it’s an Apple product or not) to find out your basic contact information (if you opt to use this function).

-This is provided that you have chosen to make this feature available to them. Because of the nature of the tracker, you will be relieved to learn that Apple has given a great deal of thought to privacy measures, particularly about making sure that the AirTags cannot be abused in any way.

You cannot activate an AirTag on behalf of another individual. If your iPhone, iPad, or any other iOS device detects that an unidentified AirTag is moving around with you, it will notify you of the tag’s presence.

If the AirTag is no longer attached to its owner for a long time but is still moving, it will automatically play a sound to bring attention to itself, even if you do not possess an Apple product.

Additionally, if you have an Android phone, you can use Apple’s Tracker Detect app (opens in a new tab) to scan for AirTags manually if you believe you are being tracked.

-This option is available to you if you believe you are being followed even though the existing structures have flaws. Many Android users, in particular, are dissatisfied with the Tracker Detect software’s inability to run in the background automatically since, unless you remember to check yourself regularly, you can still be followed without realizing it.

On top of that, although the disc-shaped tracker can be easily slipped into a wallet or bag, it is a little annoying that additional accessories, such as a keychain, must be purchased to track items such as your keys.

-Especially when Apple’s item tracker isn’t the most affordable option on the market. Pricing and Availability Information Regarding Apple AirTag You can buy a single Apple AirTag for $29, equivalent to £29 or AU$45.

Alternatively, you can buy a pack of four Apple AirTags for $99, equivalent to £99 or AU$ 149. AirTags are available for pre-order and will be available on April 30.

To secure an AirTag to your keys, bike, or any other item, you will need to purchase an optional key fob or loop.

 Apple AirTag: Design

The AirTag is incredibly small, measuring 1.26 x 1.26 x 0.31 inches (3.19 x 3.19 x 0.8 cm) and weighing only 0.4 ounces (11 grams). It is roughly the size of a quarter or a £2 coin.

The disc made of stainless steel has a plastic cover that can be removed and replaced to protect the CR2032 battery, which provides power to the AirTag. Additionally, the disc has an internal speaker that will produce a sound if the Find My app is used on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to identify its location.

The AirTag does not come with a clip or tag as a standard feature, but it is small enough to fit into a pocket of a purse, wallet, or coat. If you want to attach it to your keys or other items, you can purchase optional key fobs and loops made of leather and silicone from Apple or from third-party brands like Belkin.

These can be found in Apple’s accessory section. The AirTag has a rating of IP67, which indicates that it can withstand accidental submersion in water as deep as a deep puddle or in the bathtub.

Additionally, the AirTag is eligible for Apple’s free engraving service, which allows you to add text, numbers, and emojis to the smooth plastic cover.

-This makes it simpler to distinguish between multiple AirTags if you own more than one. However, after only a few days of using it, we discovered that both sides of the AirTag had developed scuff marks due to our use of it.

Apple has not provided information regarding the Bluetooth range of AirTags; however, we believe that it supports Bluetooth 5.0, the most recent version of the technology, as it is built into the iPhone 12. It has a range of either 800 feet or 240 meters. Apple has not made this information publicly available.

The capabilities of Apple AirTag

The AirTag, much like other accessories for the iPhone, was incredibly straightforward to set up. After we had taken the AirTag out of its packaging, it gave off a brief beep and was instantly recognized by our iPhone.

We could give the AirTag a name, and once that was done, it was linked to our Apple ID and began appearing in the Items tab. It was also very easy to slide the AirTag into the leather key fob and loop accessories.

-This made it possible for us to attach them to our keys as well as the strap of a bag. When you tap the AirTag in the items list within the Find My app, several options, including Play Sound, will become available.

We discovered that it took Find My a few seconds to connect to the AirTag before it emitted three cycles of five electronic beeps.

 These beeps registered 64db on our sound meter, which was loud enough to hear them from beneath the heap of cushions under which we’d buried the AirTag on the sofa.

The short cycle of electronic beeps lasted for just seven seconds, which was long enough to locate something in the same room or the one next to it, but it was not sufficient when we were upstairs and our misplaced item was downstairs.

In this scenario, we needed to make four taps on the Play Sound option before approaching the AirTag at a distance that allowed us to hear its emitting sound.

-This is where the feature known as Precision Finding can be of assistance. -This makes use of ultra-wideband radio technology to determine the distance between your iPhone and the AirTag as well as the direction in which it is facing.

It then displays this information on-screen and provides haptic feedback to assist you in finding the AirTag.

In general, we discovered that the on-screen distance, displayed in feet or meters, and the directions, made it easier for us to locate our AirTag, which we had purposefully hidden.

However, all of our tests were carried out in a house with cavity walls, which is known to reduce the reliability of Bluetooth connections between electronic devices like headphones and smartphones.

 We discovered that this was also the case with the Precision Finding feature. For instance, when we moved the AirTag from the garden into the house, our iPhone 12 could not connect with the AirTag. It prompted us to move to a different location because we couldn’t find a suitable match.

 Apple AirTag: the duration of the battery life

A CR2032 battery powers Apple’s AirTag, and the company claims that it will last for more than a year before it needs to be replaced.

This estimate is based on the assumption that the tracker will be caused to emit a sound four times per day and that Precision Finding will be used once per day.