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It's been obvious for months, years even, that Apple is working on a new category of product: a wireless tracking tile, likely called AirTag. You'll be able to attach this to your wallet, keys and other important items and then track them in your Find My app, just as you can currently track the location of your iPhone, Apple Watch and MacBook.

The clues were first spotted in an internal beta of iOS 13, which gives an idea of how long we've been talking about this subject (iOS 13 went into public release in the autumn of 2019; we're now well into the public lifecycle of iOS 14).

In this article we discuss all the evidence for the existence of the AirTags, and analyse the latest leaks and rumours indicating when they will be released, what they will look like, and how they will work.

We'll also discuss the news that Apple's Find My app will soon find other third-party products. This might indicate that Apple has made its AirTags trackers completely unnecessary (as our collegue Michael Simon argues over on Macworld US), but we believe there will always be products that could benefit from a tag. Especially those products - like bikes, car keys, kids, and coats - that won't be a part of the Made For iPhone program (to which you need to belong in order to make a product trackable by the Find My app).

In fact, what's interesting about the new addition to the Find My app is that when you open up the app and read the "What's New in Find My" information it says: "Support for Accessories: Add non-Apple products to Find My. Locate your backpack, luggage, headphones or other items". This doesn't sound like the description of something that will only work for iPhone accessories.

However, Apple's announced support for the following third-parties:

  • Belkin, Soundform Freedom True Wireless Earbuds
  • Chipolo, ONE Spot item finder
  • VanMoof, S3 and X3 e-bikes

That list includes what could be seen as a competitor to the AirTag. The Chipolo ONE Spot item finder (£22) is a small disc that comes in various colours. You can buy one from Amazon here: Chipolo One Spot Item Finder.

AirTags Release date

We expect the AirTags to launch in spring 2021 alongside a raft of other new Apple products.

In fact, we think we could see Apple launch the AirTags as soon as Tuesday 13 April 2021. A launch in the wake of the announcement about third-party partnerships for Find My (mentioned above) actually makes sense: Apple gives its partners some of the limelight prior to releasing its own product.

We also expect that iOS 14.5 will arrive around the same time. This update to iOS 14 brings with it new feature that relate to the Find My service, as well as assets that seem to relate to a tracker and various other new features. Read more about that here: What's in iOS 14.5. We also discuss when you can expect to see unveiled at Apple's next event in a separate article.

However, there have been suggestions that the AirTags may be delayed.

If that is the case it isn't the first time the AirTags have been delayed. Famed Apple leaker Jon Prosser's has made various predictions that the AirTags would be launching. He forecast a launch in March 2021 after initially predicting a launch in October or November 2020.

The delays go back further than that though. Reports indicated that Apple originally planned to launch the AirTags in spring 2020, but the product was postponed due to COVID-19. (The pandemic caused production delays, but also created a situation where many of Apple's potential customers were stuck at home, with less need to track the location of their items.)

What are AirTags?

AirTag is supposedly what Apple is calling its tracking device, although it's been referred to by some pundits as simply 'Tag' and also by the codename B389.

AirTag makes sense from a branding point of view, drawing on the popularity of the AirPods and highlighting the wireless aspect of the product. The main choices were AirTag or Apple Tag.

The product appears to be Apple's answer to the Tile range of products. It seems that you will be able to attach it to items and then locate them later using the Find My app.

Apple leaker Max Weinbach suggests that the AirTag will be a disc released in a single size: 32 x 32 x 6mm. Previously a rumour suggested it could come in two sizes.

The disc form factor seems most likely, although AirTag could take the form of a sticker which you apply to whatever you want to track. We expect to see a little circular disc with an Apple logo in the centre - this is what is indicated by assets that appeared way back in the iOS 13 beta.

Over the months there have been various leaks as well as concept art showing what the AirTag could look like (included below). At the beginning of January 2021 leaker Jon Prosser got his hands on what he claims is a Apple-made render showing how the AirTag will work. You can watch it in the video below and read more about that here: Jon Prosser video of AirTag.

Further 'proof' that the AirTag will be a solid disc rather than a sticker comes from what may be a leaked manual that indicates that the device will charge wirelessly.

The same leaker has also posted images that are said to show how the AirTag will attach to a keyring.

The Twitter user Fudge has posted a photo of the leather accessory that will hold the AirTags disc and enable it to be used as a keyring. The leaker warns that this could be fake and advises readers to take it "with a bit of salt", but it largely corresponds with what other sources and patent activity have led us to believe.

Macotakara reports that the AirTag will be not just water-resistant but "completely waterproof" - although we're depending on Google Chrome's translation from the Japanese for that phrase, and it's debatable exactly what it means. An IP rating of IPX8, one would imagine.

How much will AirTags cost?

According to the tech leaker Max Weinbach the AirTag price tag is expected to be $39 (roughly £28). That is $10 more expensive than Samsung's equivalent.

How does that compare to the rest of the competition? The Tile Mate, a simple tracker, has an RRP of £19.99/$24.99. But what if Apple goes for the Tile Sticker form factor? That officially retails for £34.99/$39.99 for a pair.

We suggested some time ago that a price under £30/$30 per unit was most likely, although if Apple decides to hit the ground running with an upmarket model all bets are off.

How AirTags will work

The evidence so far suggests that the AirTag will work with the Find My app. We can already see how it could work now that Apple has added the Items section to the app.

According to Apple's what's new in Find My information, the update includes the ability to "Add non-Apple products to Find My. Locate your backpack, luggage, headphones, or other items".

If you want to add something to your list of tracked items here's what to do:

  1. Open the Find My app.
  2. Tap on Items (you may have to wait for this to appear).
  3. Now tap on Add Item. FIND MY ITEMS
  4. Your iPhone will search for nearby items that are supported.

FIND MY SEARCHING

We assume that if Apple launches AirTags it will be easy to sync with the Find My app.

There have been indications that the following behaviour can be expected if you attach an AirTag to your keys, luggage, or whatever it is you don't want to lose.

  1. You will get a notification if you and your iPhone moves out of range of the AirTag (so that you don't leave it at work, for example).
  2. If you do lose the tagged device you can use the Find My app to locate it. The app will use AR tech to direct you to your item.
  3. If you can't track it down you can mark it as lost. Then, when someone finds it, you will receive a notification and they will get your contact details so they can return the item to you.

In terms of how the AirTag actually works, Electronic Design (via MacRumors) notes that the AirTag will use UWB, which "is able to effectively measure distance between two devices with 5 to 10cm accuracy, compared to roughly 5m accuracy for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth".

UWB is used by the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, which suggests the AirTag may only work with those handsets (as well as later devices such as the iPhone 12 range).

It's thought that users will receive a notification on their iPhone should they move out of range of the tag, which should stop you leaving your keys in the office. You will apparently be able to add certain locations that can be ignored, though - if an item is safely in your house, for example.

If you lose your tagged item you can attempt to locate it on the Find My app because the AirTag will transmit its location using this low-power form of Bluetooth and other Bluetooth devices will relay the location back to you via the Find My app.

If you can't locate your tagged item you can mark it as lost. It seems that once it's marked as lost if someone passes within range they will receive a notification on their phone with your contact details allowing them to contact you to return the device.

Evidence for the AirTags' existence

Why are we so sure this product is coming? A surprising amount of evidence has leaked out via assets that appeared in the iOS 13 beta last year, and even earlier in 2019 sources confirmed to 9to5Mac that an object tracker project was underway at Apple.

9to5Mac first reported that Apple was working on a Tag back in April 2019. At that time the site wrote about the new Find My app, which hadn't yet been released; it indicated that people involved in the development of the app were aware of a new hardware device codenamed 'B389' that would allow users to track any item.

Then, in June 2019, 9to5Mac reported that there were references to this Tag device in iOS 13. The first beta of iOS 13 included an asset package for a device with the product type 'Tag1,1'.

MacRumors also wrote about an internal build of iOS 13 that incorporated graphical assets including an image of what appears to be the tracker itself. This may be placeholder art or an earlier prototype, however, and the final released product may look significantly different.

Apple to unveil 'Tag' object tracker: MacRumors artwork

An updated interface for the new version of the Find My app was found in a beta of iOS 13 in September 2019. This app (which now combines the old Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps into a single interface) had three panes: People, Devices, and Items. The first two correspond to friends and Apple products, but the third points to the use of a tracker to tag other objects.

Apple to unveil 'Tag' object tracker: Find My Items

The September screenshots obtained by MacRumours also include the codename for the device - B389. Along with the words "Tag your everyday items with B389 and never lose them again."

Pundits believe the interface will let you view tagged objects in AR (augmented reality), as evidenced by balloon illustrations that appear in assets. It's thought that red and orange balloons will indicate the location of the item using AR technology.

The abundance of evidence is enough for respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo to give the rumours his backing. In a research note in September 2019 Kuo said the tags will be based on UWB (ultra-wideband) technology, which uses minimal power and offers highly accurate location tracking within a building.

Further reading

For more information about what Apple will launch in the next 12 months, take a look at our guide to the new Apple products coming out in 2021. And check out the latest bargains in our roundup of the best Apple deals.