Lost No More: Apple Unveils AirTag 2 With 50% More Range and a Genius Apple Watch Upgrade

Key Findings

• Apple has unveiled the AirTag 2, the successor to its popular item tracking device.

• The new AirTag boasts a 50% increase in Precision Finding range and a 50% louder speaker.

• Precision Finding is now available on the Apple Watch, allowing users to locate lost items directly from their wrist.

• The AirTag 2 integrates a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, the same as in the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models.

• The device can securely share its location with authorized third parties, such as airlines, to reduce luggage delays and loss.

Background

Nearly five years after the debut of its inaugural iteration, Apple has finally unveiled the successor to the AirTag. While maintaining its iconic aesthetic and nomenclature, the device boasts profound enhancements to its tracking radius and acoustic output, while introducing the long-awaited ability to perform Precision Finding directly via the Apple Watch.

Precision Finding Upgrade

The quintessential upgrade resides in the integration of the second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, the same sophisticated silicon found within the iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air, and Apple Watch Series 11. Owing to this superior chipset, the Precision Finding range has been extended by 50% compared to its predecessor. This ensures that even if your keys are ensconced deep within a sofa or buried at the bottom of a satchel, your iPhone can discern their direction and distance with greater alacrity.

Acoustic Enhancements

Another palpable refinement is the redesigned internal acoustic chamber, which amplifies the speaker's volume by 50%. Apple asserts that the audible chime can now be perceived from twice the previous distance, remediating the frustration of muffled alerts when the device is obstructed by heavy fabrics or upholstery.

Precision Finding on Apple Watch

In a significant departure from tradition, the Precision Finding utility is no longer exclusive to the iPhone. Users of the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or subsequent models can now visualize directional guidance and distance metrics directly upon their wrists. This affords a seamless experience for those moments when one's hands are encumbered or the iPhone is out of reach.

Airline Collaboration and Secure Sharing

Apple has collaborated with over 50 airlines through SITA's systemic integration; empirical data suggests this utility reduces luggage delays by 26% and diminishes the probability of permanent loss by a staggering 90%. To preserve user privacy, these tracking links are ephemeral—expiring automatically after seven days—and terminate immediately once the item is recovered.

Sources

• https://securityonline.info/lost-no-more-apple-unveils-airtag-2-with-50-more-range-and-a-genius-apple-watch-upgrade/

• https://securityonline.info/apple-unlocks-airtag-2-new-ios-update-brings-high-precision-tracking-to-your-wrist/