If there’s one thing I stress about most while traveling and sprinting through airports to catch a flight, it’s the fear of losing something. One thing that’s helped me calm those nerves significantly is Apple’s AirTag.
Ever since Apple released the first-generation AirTag back in 2021, I’ve built up a small army of them, and the peace of mind they offer has been invaluable. When I travel, I keep one in my backpack, my luggage, and even in my wallet, so I always know where my stuff is on the off chance I lose something.
So when Apple, seemingly out of nowhere, announced and released its second-generation AirTag this week, I was immediately interested to see what had changed. And so far, I’m impressed.
For the same $29 price tag (or $99 for a four-pack), Apple has added two major upgrades that make the second-gen AirTag a worthwhile upgrade — especially if you rely on AirTags as much as I do. So with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at Apple’s newest AirTag.
- Brand
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Apple
- Range
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50 percent further
- Speaker
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50 percent louder
Apple’s second-generation AirTag Bluetooth tracker has 50 percent greater range and 50 percent louder speakers than the previous generation.
Apple’s new AirTag has a much better range
It’s also louder and offers the same security
The biggest change Apple has made to its second-gen AirTag is its new Ultra Wideband chip and upgraded Bluetooth chip. These new chips enable the new AirTag to be found from 50 percent farther away than the original first-gen AirTag when using Precision Finding in the Find My app.
The new Ultra Wideband chip in the second-gen AirTag is the same location chip Apple uses in its iPhone 17 lineup, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch Series 11, so it’s quite powerful and will be a noticeable upgrade from the original AirTag.
The second major change Apple has made with its second-gen AirTag is a much louder speaker, which the company says is thanks to an updated internal design. As a result, the new AirTag is 50 percent louder than the previous generation.
I’ve experienced firsthand how useful that speaker can be on the AirTag. I’ve misplaced my wallet a few times (which I put an AirTag in), and I was able to track it down by following the AirTag’s sound using Precision Finding when I was nearby. So, Apple making that sound even louder and easier to hear is a very welcome upgrade — and, combined with the increased tracking range, it should make finding anything you’ve misplaced easier and less stressful.
Additionally, Apple states the new AirTag maintains the same level of privacy and security as the original, which means it doesn’t store any location data on the device itself and that its Find My network has end-to-end encryption to protect all communication within it, so the only person who knows where your AirTag is you, or anyone you’ve shared it with.
Worth the upgrade, but gradually
There are a couple of changes I wish Apple had made
With its upgraded range and louder speaker, I think Apple’s new AirTag is definitely worth considering — especially since it sticks to the same $29 price tag (or $99 for a four-pack) as the original. That said, I’ll be upgrading as soon as possible, but gradually, since I don’t think it makes sense to ditch my existing AirTags altogether. Rather than replacing all six I already use, I’ll just swap out the ones I rely on most for Precision Finding.
Additionally, while my overall impressions of the new AirTag are positive, I do have a couple of small critiques. For starters, I wish Apple had changed the design, if only to make it easier to tell apart from the original. A slightly smaller form factor would’ve been nice, or better yet, a built-in keyring hole. But let’s be honest — Apple probably isn’t adding that anytime soon, likely so it can keep selling keyring accessories.
I also would’ve liked to see some improvement in battery life. The first-gen AirTag already offers solid battery life, and the battery is still replaceable, but even a modest bump here would’ve been appreciated.
All things considered, Apple’s new AirTag may look identical to the original, but underneath it delivers meaningful upgrades to range and speaker volume, which I think make it a solid upgrade if you want to place it with a really important object. And if you’ve never owned an AirTag before, this is a good time to try it out now that the second-gen model is out.
Apple’s new AirTag is available now on Apple’s website and is already shipping, so if you’re interested, you won’t have to wait long to get your hands on one.
