Apple Just Upgraded The AirTag, And It's A Bigger Deal Than It Looks

Apple just introduced the second-generation AirTag, which it says has improved location-tracking capabilities and a wider range. The new AirTag, as Apple is calling it, looks identical to the first-gen model (and is also the same price). You can order one for $29, or you can get a four-pack for $99 from Apple's official storefront. If you purchase one online, shipments are expected to go out later this week, according to Apple.

The first big upgrade to set the second-generation AirTag apart from the original model is a feature called Precision Finding, which helps users find the trackers from up to 50% farther away, according to the company. In a statement shared with SlashGear, Apple likened the difference to being able to find a lost item "across the park, not just in the next room." When users are trying to find the AirTag, Precision Finding will assist them with haptic cues, vocal assistance, and on-screen direction guidance.

Apple equipped the device with the second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, which you will also find packed inside the company's latest phones and smartwatches. This time around, you can also use Precision Finding on smartwatches. That means if you own an Apple Watch Series 9 (or newer) or an Apple Watch Ultra 2 (or its successor), you will be able to locate the new AirTag with a higher level of precision using just the smartwatch on your wrist.

At the heart of the whole tracking system is Apple's Find My feature. While Find My allows you to find one Apple device, like a MacBook, with another, like an iPhone, the new Share Item Location feature allows you to share this location with others at places like the airport. The feature was released with the iOS 18.2 update in 2024, and a healthy bunch of carriers, including Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Turkish Airlines, United, and Virgin Atlantic already support it. 

The new AirTag is integrated with this system as well, meaning users can share the location of lost items with airlines to help locate luggage with an AirTag on it. This is an end-to-end encrypted pipeline, and Apple says it has baked industry-first protections against unwanted tracking at the heart of its latest object tracker. Since 2023, it's also been possible for Android users to be alerted that an AirTag was moving with them due to a collaboration between Apple and Google intended to improve security.

As far as accessories go, Apple is selling the AirTag FineWoven Key Ring at $35 a pop in four colors. On the software side, the second-generation tracker requires an iPhone running iOS 26 (or a tablet with iPadOS 26) to set it up. For smartwatches, watchOS 26.2.1 is mandatory to take advantage of the on-wrist Precision Tracking feature.