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- New AirTag, same price, better range, and improved finding for you (digitaltrends.com)
Apple’s Latest AirTag: Louder, Farther, and Just as Affordable
Good news for those of us who spend a little too much time playing hide-and-seek with our keys or wallet: Apple has unveiled an updated AirTag that promises to make finding your lost items quicker and easier, all without an extra dent in your pocket. This isn’t a premium upgrade; it’s a practical one, tackling the common frustrations of item tracking head-on.
The biggest improvements focus on those moments when your phone knows your AirTag is nearby but can’t quite pinpoint it, and when the tag’s chime is lost in the everyday hustle and bustle of life. Apple states that the new AirTag boasts enhanced basic locating range, improved Precision Finding capabilities, and a significantly louder speaker with a distinct new chime. Crucially, the company maintains its commitment to user privacy, emphasizing AirTag’s role as an object tracker and highlighting built-in safeguards against unwanted tracking.
You can order the new AirTag online right now, with in-store availability expected later this week.
Precision Finding Gets a Longer Leash
The latest AirTag incorporates Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip. This upgrade means Precision Finding can guide you to your misplaced items from up to 50 percent farther away than the previous model. Through a combination of haptic feedback, on-screen directions, and sound, finding that elusive object should be a breeze.
Beyond the Ultra Wideband chip, an upgraded Bluetooth chip also extends the range at which the tag can be detected through the Find My network. This improvement is designed to help you get close enough for Precision Finding to take over.
And for those who prefer to track from their wrist, Precision Finding now extends its reach to Apple Watch Series 9 or later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, allowing you to complete the final steps of your search directly from your smartwatch.
The Louder Speaker: A Game Changer
While range is important, the speaker is often the unsung hero in a cluttered home environment. Apple has redesigned the speaker to be up to 50 percent louder and audible from twice the distance. The new chime is specifically engineered to cut through typical household noises, making it easier to hear.
This boost in audio power can be the difference between a quick retrieval and a frustrating, room-wide search. Whether your AirTag is buried under couch cushions, tucked away in a bag, or lost in a coat pocket, the enhanced sound aims to turn those last few moments into a simple check.
The new AirTag also retains familiar features, including a user-replaceable CR2032 battery and the same durable water and dust resistance rating.
Making the Upgrade Decision Simple
For those new to item trackers, the latest AirTag stands out as the straightforward choice at its current price point. If you already own AirTags, an upgrade makes sense if you frequently rely on Precision Finding or if you’ve struggled to hear your current tags in noisy settings.
Before purchasing, ensure compatibility: Apple specifies that you’ll need a supported iPhone running iOS 26 or later, or an iPad on iPadOS 26 or later. Additionally, some features require Find My to be enabled in your iCloud settings. If your devices are ready, the practical next step is simple: replace your old tags with the new ones in the places where your belongings tend to vanish most often.
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- New AirTag, same price, better range, and improved finding for you (digitaltrends.com)