Apple Unveils Updated AirTag With Longer Range and Louder Speaker
Apple's new AirTag adds a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, 50% greater range and a speaker 50% louder while keeping price at $29.
Overview
Apple introduced a new AirTag on Monday, equipping it with a second-generation Ultra Wideband (U2) chip and an upgraded Bluetooth radio to extend Precision Finding up to 50% farther, Apple said.
Apple said the updated AirTag's speaker is 50% louder so beeps can be heard up to two times farther and that Precision Finding will work from Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later.
Tile and other tracker rivals alleged Apple used its Find My network to dominate the market after the 2021 AirTag launch, while Apple said built-in protections prevent unwanted tracking, according to company statements.
Third-party estimates indicate AirTags comprised nearly 70% of Bluetooth tracker sales in late 2024, Apple kept pricing at $29 for one and $99 for a four-pack, and Apple said more than 50 airlines now partner for Share Item Location.
Apple said the new AirTag is available to order immediately and that the prior model will be phased out, and industry observers said regulators and rivals will continue scrutinizing platform-level advantages.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this coverage as product-positive and PR-amplifying, prioritizing Apple's claims and user convenience. Editorial choices—personal anecdotes ('I have one'), evaluative words ('indispensable'), and unexamined SITA statistics—emphasize benefits while sidelining privacy critiques or independent testing, creating a largely promotional narrative built on Apple's press-release material.