A new UWB chip inside AirTag 2 could make Apple's tracker tag findable at a much farther range than the current model.
The device is expected in mid-2025.
Attach an AirTag to anything that gets misplaced frequently, like a set of keys, or something it would be a big problem if it went missing, like luggage. The item can then be located in the iPhone Find My app. The trick works by making a Bluetooth connection between the tag and your handset, which is also true for rival tracker tags.
But AirTag has another trick, too: it can communicate with your iPhone via Ultra Wideband. Unlike Bluetooth, this is directional, allowing the Find My app to point in the direction of the lost item. The upcoming AirTag 2 will reportedly include a better UWB chip.
"Right now, the AirTag can be located with Precision Finding from about 10 to 30 meters away, depending on conditions. The new model should triple that by using the next-generation ultrawide-band chip," reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
To be clear, the change won't affect its Bluetooth performance, which generally works at a longer range the UWB. But, as noted, Bluetooth doesn't support the directional pointer in the Find My app that's the signature AirTag feature.
While AirTag 2 will allegedly retain the same design as the current model, there'll be internal changes besides the improved UWB chip. Apple is reportedly making it more difficult to remove the tracking tag's speaker so creeps can't use them for stalking.
In addition, an August 2023 report said AirTag 2 could feature AR capabilities to make finding lost items easier.
Apple launched the original AirTag in April 2021, and the first new version is expected in the middle of 2025.