AirTag 2: 10+ Essential Features You Need to Know
▼ Summary
– Apple has released the AirTag 2, which retains the original’s look and core functionality but includes several key upgrades.
– It features a new Ultra Wideband 2 chip, enabling Precision Finding from 1.5x further away and extending the feature to newer Apple Watch models.
– The device has a speaker that is 50% louder, improved Bluetooth range, a slightly heavier weight, and a revamped internal design.
– The AirTag 2 is specifically marketed for tracking objects, not people or pets, and requires iOS 26.2.1 or later to function.
– It maintains the $29 price point, uses a CR2032 battery, and is available for purchase with deliveries starting January 28.
After a significant five-year gap, Apple has introduced the successor to its popular item tracker. The new AirTag 2 maintains the familiar, compact design of its predecessor but incorporates several meaningful upgrades that enhance its performance and usability. While the core functionality of leveraging the vast Find My network for locating items remains, these improvements refine the experience for users.
A key advancement is the integration of Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband chip. This upgrade directly translates to a longer range for Precision Finding, allowing you to locate a nearby AirTag from approximately 1.5 times the previous distance. This feature, which provides on-screen directional guidance to your lost item, is no longer exclusive to the iPhone. It now extends to the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and later models that contain the necessary UWB hardware.
Audible alerts have also been enhanced. The device now features a speaker that is up to fifty percent louder than the original. This makes it easier to hear the AirTag when playing a sound through the Find My app, and it serves as an added safety measure by making the alert more difficult to conceal. To accommodate this improved speaker, Apple redesigned the internal components, which has also resulted in a slight weight increase to 0.42 ounces.
The physical design reveals subtle clues to its new generation. The text on the back is now in all capital letters and explicitly lists its IP67 water and dust resistance rating, along with NFC and Find My support, details not printed on the first model. Apple continues to emphasize that the AirTag is intended for tracking objects, not people or pets, a reminder clearly stated in its official materials.
Setting up the new tracker requires your iPhone to be updated to at least iOS 26.2.1, and the reset process has changed. To reset an AirTag 2, you must remove and reinsert the battery four consecutive times, pausing for at least five seconds between each removal. Beyond these changes, it retains all the beloved features: Lost Mode, NFC-based contact information for found items, location sharing capabilities, and a user-replaceable CR2032 battery rated to last over a year.
Priced identically to the original at $29 for a single unit or $99 for a pack of four, the AirTag 2 is available for order now with deliveries commencing soon. Free engraving continues to be offered, making it a straightforward upgrade for those seeking extended range and improved integration with the Apple Watch.
(Source: Mac Rumors)
