Apple launches AirTag 2 with iPhone 17 chip, here is everything you need to know about it

Apple has launched the AirTag 2. It brings big upgrades to the original AirTag from 2021 including increased finding range and louder speaker. It is priced at Rs 3,790 and will go on sale in India from January 30.

In today’s cluttered lives, your items like keys and wallet can easily get lost or even stolen. To tackle this issue, in 2021 Apple introduced the Apple AirTag, a tiny gadget that can help people find their belongings. Now, almost half a decade later, it has launched a second-generation AirTag which improves upon the original in big, meaningful ways. The price is still largely the same starting at Rs 3,790 and Apple will sell you a pack of four, too, for Rs 12,900 if you want more. The new AirTag – or AirTag 2 – is available to order and will go on sale starting January 30.

The new AirTag comes with the second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, also seen inside the latest iPhone 17. The chip is rated to deliver enhanced reach. Apple says it can help the AirTag 2 to detect and find items which are up to 50 percent farther away compared to the first AirTag. Bluetooth performance has also been improved.

The second-generation model also has a built-in speaker, but it is about 50 percent louder, Apple claims. The weight has increased slightly due to newer internal components. It has a CR2032 replaceable coin cell battery (like the original) that can last for more than a year and has the same IP67 water and dust resistance.

The new AirTag functions and looks similar to the previous version. It is a coin-shaped item tracker made of metal and glass that you can attach to your key ring, backpack, and other belongings. You will need to download the Find My app from the Apple App Store. Usually, it comes pre-installed on Apple devices like iPhone and Mac.

Once an AirTag is attached to an item and paired with an iPhone, like your AirPods, it starts communicating via Bluetooth. If the item is nearby, users can locate it through the Find My app, either by playing a sound on the AirTag or by using Precision Finding on supported iPhones and Apple Watches. Precision Finding uses Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology that shows the exact distance and direction to the AirTag.

If the item is out of Bluetooth range, then the AirTag relies on Apple’s Find My network. This network consists of over a billion Apple devices worldwide. So, if any iPhone, iPad, or Mac comes close to the lost AirTag, it securely and anonymously relays the location back to the owner. This process is fully encrypted, ensuring privacy for both the AirTag owner and the people whose devices help locate it.