The 2026 AirTags are definitely an upgrade from the first-gen AirTags. However, it might not be worth running to the store to pick up the tracking device if you already have the previous generation.
I’m someone who always loses his wallet or keys, so I’ve been using AirTags for a couple of years now. I’ve also found them great to use when travelling, as I’ll have an AirTag in my luggage and in my passport holder. I haven’t gotten the chance to use the AirTag while travelling yet, but the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip makes the AirTag easier to find from further away.
I’m able to track down my AirTag from around my house, whether it’s upstairs or down. I like having the extended range on my AirTag. While the last model could tell me that my wallet was in the house, I couldn’t always find it with Precision Finding, especially if the device was upstairs and I was downstairs. Still, the difference in range here isn’t worth running to the store, as Precision Finding didn’t work from right outside my front door.
Aside from better Precision Finding, the AirTag is also 50 per cent louder than its predecessor. Still, unfortunately, not loud enough to find it from a different floor. It’s definitely louder, but when it’s in my wallet, the sound gets dampened quite a bit. The louder volume does help, especially when it comes to pinpointing the location of my wallet in my very messy closet.
You can also find your AirTag with your Apple Watch, which I absolutely love because sometimes when I’m looking for my wallet, I don’t always have my phone on me. My watch is always on my wrist, so it works out great.
The second-gen AirTag also has ‘Share Item Location,’ which lets users securely share its location with third parties like airlines, which can help with finding delayed luggage or other items. Apple has partnered with more than 50 airlines to support this. I haven’t had to use this yet, but it’s good to keep in mind. I lost my AirPods Pro 2nd gen on a plane once, and noticed it immediately. However, Air Canada said they weren’t able to find the earbuds. Maybe they would have been able to find it if I had been able to share the tracking information with them.
The new AirTag is C$39 for a single tag and $129 for the 4-pack. If you already have AirTags, you might not need to pick up the new one right away, unless yours are on the way out or something. However, I’ll probably pick up another one for my passport, because being able to share location details and the ability to find devices from further away are definitely worth buying one or two for me.
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