The Apple AirTag has become the de facto “Bluetooth tracker” since its debut in 2021upsetting established players like Tile. Now Apple is finally upgrading the hardware. The second-generation AirTag still costs $29 for one and $99 for a four-pack, and it’s available today.
It is powered by the second generation Ultra Wideband (U2) chip, used recently by Apple. iPhone and Apple Watch models. It improves the ability to find the exact location of the tag when using Apple’s Precision Search mode, with up to 1.5x greater range. You can lift your iPhone and you’ll receive visual, audio, and haptic feedback as the device guides you to your AirTag. For the first time, Apple says Precision Finding is now available on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or newer.
The second-generation AirTag is 50% louder than its predecessor, and Apple says it can be heard twice as far away as before; there is also a new chime. Apple also upgraded the Bluetooth chip for better overall range. There’s no noticeable improvement in battery life, as Apple still quotes “over a year”, although the battery remains user-replaceable.
Photography: Courtesy of Apple
Apple requires new second-generation AirTag owners to have an iPhone or iPad running the latest version iOS26 version (you also need an Apple account and must be signed in to iCloud). The functionality of the software remains the same: everything is powered by Apple’s Find My feature, which leverages a network of Apple devices to help you locate and track your AirTag. Also available is Apple’s Share Item Location feature, which lets you share the location of a missing item with an airline so they can find it on your behalf. Currently, this feature is available with 36 airlines, but this number will increase to 50, although Apple did not provide a specific timeline.
After the original AirTags were leveraged to follow peopleApple has rolled out tracking alerts (and worked with Google will activate these alerts on Android), and these same capabilities are present in the second generation. If someone places an AirTag in your bag, for example, your iPhone or Android will send a notification about an “unknown tracker” on your person.
Apple says the second-generation AirTag is made from 85% recycled plastic in its case, with 100% recycled rare earth elements in the magnets and 100% recycled gold plating in the circuit boards, not to mention 100% fiber-based paper packaging.
The AirTag maintains the same shape as its predecessor, which means you’ll have no trouble fitting it into the same AirTag cases, keychains, and other accessories. Apple has even made a new version of its official Key Ring accessory of its FineWoven material to match your FineWoven iPhone 17 case.
