Apple Just Upgraded The AirTag, And It's A Huge Improvement For A Great Price

Following years of rumors, Apple today announced the release of the second-generation AirTag. While previous reports suggested the company might introduce a new design, Apple is instead focusing on tweaking the internals of its item tracker to make it more trackable and useful.

The most important change made to the AirTag is the addition of the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, which increases the range of Precision Finding by up to 50% compared to the original model. Combined with an upgraded Bluetooth chip, it's a leap forward that helps make up for a nearly five-year wait between generations. Besides that, Apple says Precision Finding can be used on Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later for the first time.

Another improvement of the second-gen AirTag is its new chime, which is 50% louder than the original AirTag. Apple says this will help users locate their misplaced devices more easily, but it should also be yet another deterrent to keep stalkers from using these accessories for nefarious purposes.

Once again, Apple reiterates that the AirTag has been designed to track objects, not people or pets, and it includes alerts across platforms beyond iOS as well as Bluetooth identifiers to prevent stalking and misuse of the tracker. Besides that, the new AirTag continues to tout the same battery levels as the original, as it continues to offer the same design and battery cell of the original model.

Like its predecessor, the second-gen AirTag also costs $29 in the U.S. with a four-pack available for $99. Apple will also continue to offer the FineWoven Key Ring accessory, which is available in fox orange, midnight purple, navy, moss, and black for $35. It's unclear if Apple plans to release other accessories for the AirTag or if it will continue to rely on third-party accessory makers.

Apple says the second-generation AirTag requires an iPhone running iOS 26 or later or an iPad running iPadOS 26 or later. Precision Finding on Apple Watch will be available as part of watchOS 26.2.1, which is rolling out soon. Customers can purchase the new AirTag today, with in-store availability coming at the end of the week.