Apple has introduced the new AirTag, an accessory that helps users track and locate important items using the Find My app. The updated Apple AirTag 2 features an expanded finding range and a louder speaker. Supported by the Find My Network, AirTag enables users to monitor their belongings daily. Since its 2021 launch, AirTag has helped users recover lost items such as luggage, keys, bicycles, and bags. Significant examples include:  

• A musician is locating a lost instrument.  

• A user retrieving luggage containing essential medication  

An AirTag is designed solely for object tracking and includes advanced protection against unwanted tracking. It is available at the same price as before: $29 for a single AirTag and $99 for a 4-pack, with personalized engraving on Apple.com and the Apple Store app.  

Enhanced Range And Findability  

The new Apple AirTag 2026 is powered by Apple’s second-generation Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) chip, also used in the iPhone 17 lineup, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch Series 11. Precision Finding uses haptic, visual, and audio feedback to guide users to lost items from up to 50% farther away than before. An upgraded Bluetooth chip further extends the location range. For the first time, precision findings are available on Apple Watch Series 9 or later and Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later.  

The updated AirTag is 50% louder than the previous version, allowing users to hear it from up to twice as far away. Combined with refined precision findings and a new chime, AirTag makes it easier to locate important items such as keys or wallets.  

The Find My Network And Share Item Location  

Find My helps users locate AirTag, Apple devices, and compatible third-party devices while upholding user privacy. If an AirTag is out of range of its paired iPhone, the Find My network can help locate it. This crowdsourced network of Apple devices uses Expanded Bluetooth & UWB range to detect and report the approximate location of accessories or devices to their owners.  

The new Apple AirTag 2 works with Share Item Location, an iOS feature that allows users to temporarily and securely share an item’s location with trusted third parties, such as airlines, to help recover delayed baggage or other lost items. Apple has partnered with over 50 airlines to privately and securely accept shared item location links.  

Item Location allows users to share the location of a misplaced item while with a participating airline customer service team. According to SITA’s report, using this feature achieved a 26% reduction in baggage delays and a 90% decrease in unrecoverable luggage. Only authorized personnel may access shared locations through a secure Apple account or partner authentication. The shared location is disabled once the user is reunited with the item. The owner can stop sharing at any time. The location will also automatically expire after 7 days.  

Industry-Leading Security Features 

The new AirTag hardware upgrades are designed to keep location data private and secure. It does not store location data or history on the device. End-to-end encryption protects all communication with the Find My network. Only the device owner can access location data. No one, including Apple, knows the identity or location of any device that helped find it. AirTag is meant solely for tracking objects, not people or pets. It includes industry-first protections against unwanted tracking, such as cross-platform loudspeaker & audio alerts and frequently changing Bluetooth identifiers.  

Environmental Obligation and Accessory Compatibility 

Apple 2030 is the company’s plan to attain carbon neutrality across its entire operations by the end of the decade, focusing on reducing emissions from materials, electricity, and transportation. The new AirTag uses:  

• 85% recycled plastic in its enclosure  

• 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets  

• 100% recycled gold plating in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards  

Its paper packaging is fully fiber-based and recyclable. The new AirTag retains the original form factor and is compatible with all existing AirTag accessories, including the Fine Woven Keyring (which contains 68% recycled content), and is available in five colors.  

Pricing and Availability. 

• The new Apple AirTag 2 is available to order on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, and will be available at Apple Store locations later this week. It will also be offered through Apple-authorized resellers.  

• Customers may add a complimentary personalized engraving to the new AirTag during checkout on Apple.com or in the Apple Store app.  

• AirTag is offered in single and 4-pack options for $29 (U.S) and $99 (U.S.), respectively.  

• The Apple-designed AirTag (Fine Moven key ring) is available in Fox Orange, Midnight Purple, Navy, Moss, and Black for $35 (US).  

• The new AirTag requires: A compatible iPhone with iOS 26 or later, an iPad with iPadOS 26 or later, an Apple account, and iCloud sign-in; some features require Find My to be enabled in iCloud settings.  

• Decision finding: Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, with watchOS 26.2.1.  

What Precision Finding Improvements Mean 

Precision-finding improvements refer to advancements in Apple’s Find My technology that enable users to locate lost items such as AirTags or AirPods with greater accuracy over longer distances and across more devices. The second-generation AirTag, released in 2020, features a 50% greater range, a 50% louder speaker, and Apple Watch compatibility.  

Key Features Of Precision Finding Improvements:  

• Increased Range: Second-generation AirTags locate 50% farther than the original AirTags.  

• Faster, more accurate tracking: U2 chip provides better directional feedback via haptics, visuals, and audio.  

• Apple Watch integration: Precision Finding available on Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra 2 or later.  

• Loud speaker: The built-in speaker is 50% louder, making it easier to locate items in noisy environments.  

• Enhanced performance in crowds – updated technology improves tracking accuracy in busy environments like airports.  

• Hardware: The second-gen AirTag requires an iPhone 15 or later.  

Contextual Meeting 

Overall, these improvements make finding lost items faster and more reliable, even within challenging environments such as crowded airports or under furniture.