When Apple announced that the AirTag was going to be released I pre-ordered it ready to receive on the day of release. So after having my AirTag for a few days now I thought I would write a quick review with my initial thoughts on apples latest addition.
What does it do?
The AirTag is tracker which you can use on your keys, bags etc to find them if you misplace or someone take them. It works by using a secure bluetooth signal which is detected by nearby devices in the Find My network using other iPhones, iPads etc to locate your lost item. This process is anonymous and encrypted so it is secure.
Features
So there are a couple of cool features, one is if you have misplaced your keys you can ping it and it will play a sound that you can follow. This can be done by using the Find My app or you can ask Siri to find your keys.
Also if the AirTag is near by you can use your iPhone to lead you straight to it with precision finding. This will show you how far away the AirTag is and in what direction you need to head in, you will need to own an iPhone 11 or higher for this feature to work. The last thing to mention here is that the AirTag is also water resistant.
Cost
I was pleasantly surprised when Apple announced that the price for AirTag would be £29 for one or £99 for a pack of four. Although its more expensive that the tile mate its not massively more, so competes well on cost. What I would say is that you will need a key ring for you AirTag and if you opted for the Apple key ring it’s actually more than the AirTag itself at £39. If you look at the overall cost then it does start to look a bit on the expensive side compared to what Tile offers.
Appearance
As you would expect from Apple the appearance of the Airtag is lovely (in my opinion). It’s about the size of a 50p coin and has a white back and an aluminium front. I think that over time it likely that the aluminium front will scratch up a bit especially if you are using it for your keys and it will be going in your bag or pockets.
Setup
This was really east to set up on my iPhone. It works via bluetooth so you just need to pull the tab out to activate the battery. You will hear a noise which indicates that the device is on, once you hear this place the AirTag next to phone to pair. It will then pop up with the connect option and you can then select what you are going to use it for e.g. Keys and then you are good to go. You can then track your item in the find my app.
Battery Life
The battery life should last for more than a year according to Apple and it uses a standard battery so its easy to swap out. When your battery needs changing you will get a notification sent to your iPhone.
Accessories
As mentioned previously you are more than likely going to need to buy something to hold you Airtag in to attach to your keys or bag. I am using mine for my keys so I need to purchase a key ring to attach it. I did started with a 3rd party keyring which I got from Amazon which looked nice enough but the fit for me was not snug enough. I would have been worried that it was going to fall out when taking it out of my pocket so I decided to go for the Apple Product Red Keyring. The keyring is leather and well made and the AirTag fits perfectly so there is no concern that its going to fall out, It is a bit on the pricey side but it is Apple and you see that in the quality.
In conclusion so far so good, this is small and useful gadget especially if you a prone to misplacing you keys. This would be good if you travel or commute (when we can again) as you can pop one in your bag or attach with a tag. I would certainly recommend getting one or four if you have an iPhone.