Apple’s AirTag update, which has been long overdue, is here. The design remains the same, but there are important updates under the hood, the biggest being the Ultra Wideband chip inside. It is the new generation of Apple’s chip currently found in newer devices, such as the iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 lineup and the latest Apple Watches, which means the Precision Finding feature (Apple’s directional tracking feature) will work better than before.
The Bluetooth-based tracker is designed to help users locate everyday objects such as keys, bags and luggage. The new model improves both range and audibility.
Since its debut in 2021, AirTag has become a practical solution for recovering lost belongings, from misplaced keys to delayed luggage. Apple says the latest update focuses on making those recoveries quicker and more reliable.
The big update
The updated AirTag is powered by Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip. This allows Precision Finding to guide users to an item from up to 50 per cent farther away than before. An upgraded Bluetooth chip also increases the distance at which an AirTag can be detected.
For the first time, Precision Finding is available on supported Apple Watch models, allowing users to locate a tagged item using haptic, visual and audio cues directly from their wrist.
The AirTag’s internal speaker has also been upgraded. Apple says the new model is around 50 per cent louder than the previous generation, making it easier to hear when an item is buried in a bag or hidden between sofa cushions. A new chime accompanies the change.
Privacy at its heart
As before, AirTag relies on Apple’s Find My network when it is out of range of its owner’s phone. The system uses nearby Apple devices to anonymously relay an AirTag’s approximate location back to its owner, without revealing the identities of those devices.
The new AirTag also supports Share Item Location, an iOS feature that allows users to temporarily share the location of a misplaced item with trusted third parties. The feature has gained traction with airlines, helping customer service teams locate delayed luggage more quickly.
Apple says more than 50 airlines now support the system, including Air India. According to data from airline IT provider SITA, using shared item locations has reduced baggage delays by 26 per cent and cut the number of unrecoverable bags by 90 per cent. Shared access can be withdrawn at any time and automatically expires after seven days.
Concerns about misuse have followed item trackers since they entered the mainstream. Apple says the updated AirTag continues to include protections against unwanted tracking, including alerts for unknown trackers moving with a user and Bluetooth identifiers that change frequently.
Location data is not stored on the AirTag itself, and all communication with the Find My network is end-to-end encrypted. Apple says only the owner of an AirTag can access its location information.
The new AirTag retains the same physical design as the original, ensuring compatibility with existing accessories. Apple says the enclosure now uses 85 per cent recycled plastic, with 100 per cent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 per cent recycled gold plating in Apple-designed circuit boards. Packaging remains fully fibre-based.
Pricing and availability
The updated AirTag is available to order from Apple’s website and the Apple Store app from today, with in-store availability and sales through Apple Authorised Resellers beginning later this week. Free personalised engraving remains available when ordering online.
In India, pricing is set at ₹3,790 for a single AirTag and ₹12,900 for a pack of four. Apple’s FineWoven AirTag key ring, available in fox orange, midnight purple, navy, moss and black, is priced at ₹3,900.
The new AirTag requires a compatible iPhone running iOS 26 or later, or an iPad with iPadOS 26 or later, with Find My enabled and an active Apple Account. Precision Finding on Apple Watch requires Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, running watchOS 26.2.1.
