Forget Apple AirTags: There's A Better (And Easier) Way To Track Your Luggage On Android

The Apple AirTag is an excellent way to track luggage or small items like a keychain, but it's also designed to work best with Apple's ecosystem. If you're on Android, you need something that works with Google's Find My Device platform (aka Google Find Hub) which significantly narrows down the playing field. Samsung Galaxy SmartTags are the closest option. 

Sure, there are other trackers like Tile or Chipolo, along with several other AirTag alternatives that work for Android; but for those who wanted a SmartTag and didn't have a Samsung device, the option was off the table. At least, until recently: A new third-party app, called uTag, introduces the option to use Samsung SmartTags on a non-Samsung Android as long as they are running Android 11 or above. uTag unlocks access to "almost" all SmartTag features for non-Samsung devices, like setting up tags, tracking, ringing, checking location history, and more. Better yet, uTag adds some new functions Samsung doesn't have, like setting up widgets, designating safe zones based on Wi-Fi, and the option to export location history. 

The goal was to introduce support for alternative Android devices and people that want to use Samsung's "behemoth" SmartThings app. With uTag, you can effectively toss a SmartTag inside your luggage, or clip it to a zipper, and manage tracking from any non-Samsung Android device. You can even use ultra wideband for location tracking through uTag with SmartTag devices that support it. Airtags utilize UWB for tracking, too.

If you want to track something like luggage, network availability is going to be a huge concern, since wireless signal is imperative for tracking a tag's location. That's why (in terms of design), the Samsung SmartTags are the most similar to Apple's AirTags, both in their size and how they function. Samsung's trackers are some of the most accurate tools available for Android devices, and they're remarkably accessible when it comes to price. That's why it was a bummer for non-Samsung users that they're not more widely compatible. The uTag app makes this now possible any Android 11 (or higher) device.

Another reason to use SmartTags from Samsung over any alternatives is that Samsung's private tracking network, Find My Everything (an alternative to Google's Find My platform) has existed longer and tends to be more reliable. In Samsung's case, the location tracking network is not restricted by a privacy focus, meaning location info updates more openly than Google's. 

The latter works best in "high-traffic areas" because a default setting for Android devices is to not contribute to the location tracking network. You could argue Google's privacy-conscious lean is good, as privacy is always a touchy issue, but the fact of the matter is that Samsung's network is more reliable for tracking and finding devices. That's exactly why it more closely resembles Apple's Find My ecosystem. If you're tracking luggage, more accurate and reliable tracking is the go-to.