Apple AirTag 2nd gen: The case for upgrading your Bluetooth tracker

As much as I hate to admit it, I travel like a man who distrusts both memory and fate. My packing lists have packing lists, I pat my pockets at airport security with the frequency of a nervous tic, and yet, despite rituals and borderline obsessive pre-flight choreography, I know myself well enough to admit the inevitable—one day, between Gate 49A and baggage carousel 5, I’m going to leave something behind and will realise it's missing only when one I am sealed inside a metal tube at 35,000 feet, replaying the last hour in one’s head like security footage.

Precisely why I’ve had AirTags—Apple’s diminutive, unassuming little Bluetooth tracking devices that can help you track your keys under the sofa cushion or locate your checked bag when it lands up in Dubai instead of Delhi—since they first launched in 2021. Five years later, the second generation AirTags ( ₹3790/ ₹12,900 for a 1-/4-pack) arrived just in time for a recent trans-Atlantic trip, and I popped one each in my check-in luggage and carry-on right alongside the original to see just where the gains are.

Now, you can put the AirTag first gen and second gen on a table, side by side, and not be able to tell the difference—they look exactly the same, from the white plastic exterior to the shiny aluminum backplate, weigh the same-ish (11g vs 11.8g) and are powered by a single CR2032 coin cell battery which should go a year before it needs replacing. Retaining the same form factor allows the second-gen to fit in the same keychain holders, baggage tags and secret laptop pouches as the previous model. Conversely, it still isn’t ideal for use in a wallet, and folks holding out for a card-shaped tracker will have to look elsewhere for now. It's also still rated at IP67 for dust and water resistance, meaning it should survive being submerged to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes.

Even though they look the same, the new AirTags now ship with Apple’s second-generation Ultra-Wideband chip, the same chip which can be found in the iPhone 17/Air lineup and the Watch Series 11, one that enables Precision Finding— granular directions to find the device—from up to 50% farther away than the original AirTag.

To verify the claim, I placed both generations of AirTags at opposite ends of my community clubhouse, about 50 feet away from me, and instantly only the new AirTag showed up in Precision Finding mode, guiding me using haptic, visual, and audio feedback to move around to get actual directions to the tracker—the older tracker needed me to be much closer (~30 feet), showing me a “searching for a signal” message before it finally showed up. This seemingly small spec bump is a huge deal when you can’t remember where you’ve left your stuff and have walked too far away for Precision Finding to work. An AirTag showing up faster and from further away on your Find My app could be crucial in situations where someone else has unintentionally taken your generic black Samsonite bag from the luggage carousel and started walking away.

The other benefit is that the newer AirTag showed up much earlier on the app when I landed on foreign shores, even though both trackers were placed on the same spot in the suitcase. And when it is within reach but out of sight, the chime is also significantly louder, 50% as per Apple, a big plus when you lose the AirTag-ged-keychain under a pile of cushions.

Just keep in mind that the old AirTag works with all iPhones and iPod touch models running iOS 14.5 or later, as well as iPads running iPadOS 14.5 or later— that’s a decade worth of device compatibility—while the AirTag second gen requires a phone/iPad running iOS 26/iPadOS 26 or later, with Precision Finding working on phones from the past 3 years. Net net, if you have an iPhone older than that, you wont see any benefits with the new AirTags until you upgrade your phone! Bonus feature for Apple Watch users: with the new AirTag, Apple also included Precision Finding with the Apple Watch, as long as you have a Watch Series 9/Ultra 2 or later.

Verdict

The second-gen AirTag is proof that making zero changes on the design doesn’t mean it’s a lazy update, and I’m impressed with how the tracker improved upon the tracking distance and speaker volume by only tweaking internal hardware. They still do cost a fair bit, but if you’re an iPhone user, they’re well worth the peace of mind on a day-to-day basis. Just get a four-pack, assign them roles—one for the suitcase, one for the backpack, one for the keys and one for “just in case”— and protect the whole ecosystem.

Alternatives

Tile Pro: the best options for Android users, with durable hardware, a slim form factor, and a respectable device-finding Tile Network that runs into the tens of millions.

Pebblebee Card Universal: best option for placing in a wallet, card shaped tracker is compatible with Apple and Android systems, plugging into the former’s Find My network and the latter’s Find My Device network.

Nomad Tracking Card Pro: like the Pebblebee, fits in a wallet and looks like a premium credit card, only with Apple Find My tracking. Lasts up to 16 months on a single charge.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2: Samsung’s answer to the AirTag for Galaxy users, with Precision Finding and audio alerts.

Moto Tag: Impressive detection range, ultra-wideband compatible for precision-tracking capabilities and findable via Google Find Hub. Goes 500 days without needing a charge, IP68 rated. Includes a handy button which acts as a remote camera shutter for your phone.

Xiaomi Tag: Ultra-light at just 10g, IP67 rated, and compatible with Google Find My Device and Apple Find My ecosystems