AIRTAGS: NEXT-GENERATION TRACKING TECHNOLOGY HAS ARRIVED
NEXT-GENERATION TRACKING TECHNOLOGY HAS ARRIVED
Two years after they were first rumored, Apple finally lifted the lid on its tracking device AirTag at its Spring Loaded event in April, designed to help consumers keep track of items that matter most. Combined with significant enhancements to the Find My app, including support for thirdparty accessories, there’s no excuse to lose personal belongings again.
INTRODUCING AIRTAG
Although the stunning new iMac and M1powered iPad Pro were the stars of the show at this year’s Spring Loaded event, held virtually in April to introduce products ahead of WWDC in June, Apple had another surprise up its sleeve: an introduction to the highlyanticipated AirTag product, which was first revealed in iOS 13 beta code back in 2019. The new device, which retails for just $29 in the United States, can be attached to items such as handbags, backpacks, keys, soft toys, and more, and tap into Apple’s vast Find My network, allowing users to locate lost items, all whilst ensuring their location data remains private thanks to end-to-end encryption. Speaking at the April 20 event, Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing, said that the new capability was designed to “leveraging the vast Find My network, to help them keep track of and find the important items in their lives,” adding that “with its design, unparalleled finding experience, and built-in privacy and security features, AirTag will provide customers with another way to leverage the power of the ecosystem and enhance the versatility of iPhone.”
STUNNING DESIGN
Perhaps one of the most striking things about AirTag, especially when compared to similar products from Tile and Samsung, is its design. The small, lightweight, round devices feature stainless steel that has been precision-etched polished, making them look like a futuristic currency for a future generation of extraterrestrials. For peace of mind and extreme usability, AirTag is IP67 water- and dust-resistant, and despite its $29 price tag, it comes with a built-in speaker that plays a sound to help locate the AirTag. In a perhaps surprising move for the Cupertino company, AirTag features a user-replaceable battery, and each coin battery lasts around a year with average AirTag use. What makes the AirTag experience even better is its unique pairing functionality - borrowed from AirPods - users simply need to bring their AirTag close to their smartphone, and Apple will automatically connect the two and name it for you.
It’s also possible to personalize your AirTag for free with engraving from the Apple website, either with text or using a range of 31 approved emoji, and because of its stunning design and finish, users can place their AirTag in their pocket or bag, or use a stunning accessory designed by Apple, like its durable Polyurethane Loop, or a Leather Key Ring, which looks stylish and is the ideal choice on sets of keys; you’ll never get locked out of the house again!
A NEXT-LEVEL USER INTERFACE
One of the reasons why AirTag was so hyped ahead of its release in the Apple community is in
Apple’s ability to marry together the hardware and software, and thanks to significant leaps forward in the Find My app, the company has made it easier than ever to locate your lost or missing items. When users set up their AirTag, it’ll appear in a new menu tab on the Find My app, and the AirTag’s current and last-known location can be found on Apple Maps. If you lose an item and it’s in Bluetooth range (like your keys lost in the house, for instance) Apple will play a sound, and you can ask Siri to help you find your missing items, too. But it’s when AirTags are taken outside of the home where they really come into their own.
Each is fitted with a U1 chip offering UltraWideband technology, which enables Precision Finding on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 range. This technology was designed to accurately determine the direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range, which is ideal if you’ve lost your keys on a field or on an airplane, for example, with Precision Finding using input from the iPhone camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope, guiding users to their AirTag using sound, haptics, and visual feedback. When Bluetooth isn’t available (for example, if your keys are left at a friend’s house or they’re lost or stolen), Apple’s Find My network works its magic, detecting Bluetooth signals and pinging back the location of the AirTag to its owner, in an anonymous and private manner. For example, users can put AirTag into Lost Mode, and be notified should another iPhone user come into close proximity to it - all without needing to ask someone to hand over your AirTag or send out an alert on a public forum.
PUTTING SECURITY AT THE FOREFRONT
It’s natural to read about the technology behind AirTag and be concerned about privacy and security, especially as the devices are so small and can be easily placed into someone’s pocket or attached to a vehicle without their knowledge. The good news, however, is that Apple has put security and privacy at the forefront of AirTag’s design, in what the company says was built from the “ground up to keep location data private and secure”. Unlike tags from some of the competition, Apple does not store personal information inside of AirTag, such as location data and history, and because communication with the Find My app is end-toend encrypted, only the owner of the device will be able to access its precise location.
Apple has also fitted the device with a range of proactive features, designed to discourage and eliminate unwanted or illegal tracking. For instance, Bluetooth signal identifiers transmitted by AirTag rotate frequently to prevent unwanted location tracking, whilst iOS devices can detect an AirTag that’s not with its owner, and send an alert to the user if an unknown or unregistered AirTag is seen to be traveling with them from place to place over time. What’s even more useful is that, for those without iOS devices, AirTags which are separated from their owners for an extended period of time will play an alert to draw some attention to it, and users can tap AirTags with their iPhone or NFC-capable device, and Apple will offer instructions on disabling the unknown AirTag, rendering its tracking useless.
The truth is that Apple will no doubt have to go much further to convince parents and those skeptical of security on the AirTag system - and a series of advertisements have already been put together to demonstrate how the AirTag product works. For those struggling to get to grips with the concept of AirTag, Rene Ritchie has a comprehensive guide to its security.
OPENING UP THE FIND MY NETWORK
Apple used the introduction of AirTag as an opportunity to open up the network to a range of third parties. The company shipped an updated version of the Find My app in early April, which allowed third-party products to use the private and secure finding capabilities of Apple’s Find My network for the first time. The program opens up the network to dozens of approved manufacturers, including Belkin, Chipolo, and VanMoof. Speaking of the launch, Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, said: “For more than a decade, our customers have relied on
Find My to locate their missing or stolen Apple devices, all while protecting their privacy. Now we’re bringing the powerful finding capabilities of Find My, one of our most popular services, to more people with the Find My network accessory program. We’re thrilled to see how Belkin, Chipolo, and VanMoof are utilizing this technology, and can’t wait to see what other partners create.”
The new offering is part of the Made for iPhone (MFi) program and allows developers to connect their existing and new products to the network. To ensure users stay safe and are protected at all times, device manufacturers must adhere to all the privacy protections of the Find My
network that Apple customers rely on, and every product must be pre-approved by an Apple representative first. When users want to add an approved product to their Find My app, they can head to the Items tab and add them. The idea behind Apple’s plans is to unify the Find My app on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac and make it easy to locate missing Apple devices, as well as keep up with friends and family, all while protecting user privacy. No longer will users have to download dozens of apps for their thirdparty headphones, watches, and accessories instead, their whereabouts can be monitored in the Find My app.
The introduction of AirTag and the huge leap forward in Find My over the past couple of years will no doubt help Apple create another indispensable application and feature set that users depend on. Find My is a lifeline not only for parents, but everyone who wants to keep devices and accessories safe, and thanks to ongoing innovations, it’s never been better.