Everything we know so far

The Apple AirTag Bluetooth tracking device launched in April 2021, and it’s fair to say it’s been something of a success, selling millions. The small coin-shaped tracker allows you to use Apple’s Find My app to locate the tracker on a map. Once you’re close to the location of the AirTag, you can use Precision Finding to find its exact location. It’s a great way to keep track of important items such as keys, luggage, or even family members who don’t yet have their own phones.

The popularity of the AirTag always meant that it was highly likely that Apple would produce an upgraded version of the AirTag at some point, with industry analysts confirming that an AirTag 2 is on the cards. What will the AirTag 2 be like, what new features will it have, and how much will it cost? Here’s our run-down of the key Apple Air Tag 2 rumours to date.

AirTag 2 release date

The bad news is if you’re keen to get your hands on the next generation of AirTag, you’ll probably have quite a wait. Initial estimates according to industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo were that the AirTag 2 would go into production at the end of 2024. However, the less well-established leak account LeaksApplePro indicated that this estimate was a little early and that we’d be unlikely to see the AirTag 2 until at least 2025. This was recently backed up by Ming-Chi Kuo, who indicated that the production schedule had been pushed back until 2025. All the indications are that the AirTag 2 won’t be with us until at least 2025.

AirTag 2 design

There’s very little detail about what we can expect in terms of design changes with the AirTag 2. As yet, there are no leaks showing what the updated AirTag will look like, so the design is pure speculation. It seems unlikely that Apple will make any huge changes, however. The size may change a little, although if Apple sticks with the CR2032 coin battery that powers the first-generation AirTag, it’s not really possible for it to get much smaller than it already is. It is possible that the AirTag 2 may be a little larger if it needs to accommodate any additional hardware, although Apple probably wouldn’t want it to get much larger than the current design.

AirTag 2 hardware and features

Once again, there are no concrete details about the hardware or features of the AirTag 2, but what little information is out there is certainly intriguing.

Upgraded ultra-wideband chip

Apple

The biggest news to come out of the launch of the new iPhone 15 range was that the new smartphones have USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports, as Apple finally joins the majority of the rest of the world. This ‘news’ meant that other new features got overlooked a little. One of the interesting updates that has flown under the radar a little is that the new iPhone 15 range, as well as the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, feature a new upgraded ultra-wideband chip. This updated chip allows you to use Precision Finding to locate your iPhone with your Apple Watch, or to use Precision Finding to find friends who also use an iPhone 15.

Since location tracking is the raison d’etre of the AirTag, it’s inevitable that the AirTag 2 will include the updated UWB chip. Although the first generation AirTag already allows you to use Precision Finding to locate it, the upgraded chip should allow you to Precision Finding over a much wider range. However, this new chip also offers some other intriguing possibilities for the AirTag 2, especially when it comes to spatial computing.

Spatial computing

In August 2023, Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted that he believed that Apple wants to build a spatial computing system, with the Vision Pro at the heart of it all, but that will also include the AirTag 2. It’s not really clear exactly what this means, but it does offer some interesting possibilities. Leaks account LeaksApplePro posted that one of the potential features of the AirTag 2 would be 3D Precision Finding. This would seem to indicate that the AirTag 2 will be able to share not only its distance and direction but also its position in three-dimensional space. Potentially, you may be able to see a visual indication of where your AirTag 2 is using the AR capabilities of the Vision Pro. If you can’t find your keys, just look around the room with your Vision Pro, and you might be able to see the location of your AirTag 2 superimposed on your view of the room. It would certainly be a useful feature.

The accuracy and latency of the AirTag 2 may not be good enough to work currently, but could the AirTag one day become usable as a motion controller for the Vision Pro? Motion controls are something that is sorely lacking from the Vision Pro at the moment. Only time will tell.

AirTag 2 price

With the AirTag 2 not expected to be released any time soon, it’s no surprise that there’s no information on potential pricing currently out there. However, Apple often follows a trend of pricing upgraded products at the same price as the product they’re replacing. The previous version is then offered at a reduced price to help Apple shift the older stock. Indeed, in some cases, such as with the HomePod 2, the price of the upgraded model may even go down.

The likelihood is that the AirTag 2 would be priced somewhere similar to the price of the first generation AirTag, which is available from Apple for $29/£35.

AirTag 2: What’s the story so far?

Here are the key rumours about the Apple AirTag 2.

18 October 2023: AirTag 2 production schedule put back until 2025

Ming-Chi Kuo drops an update predicting that the mass production schedule for the AirTag 2 is likely to be postponed until 2025.

4 August 2023: AirTag 2 to launch in 2025 with 3D Precision Finding

Leak account LeaksApplePro posted the 2024 estimates seem a little early and that the AirTag 2 is not likely to appear until 2025. It’s reported to include a host of new features, including 3D Precision Finding.

2 August 2023: AirTag 2 to go into mass production at the end of 2024, will become part of spatial computing ecosystem

Ming-Chi Kuo provides a new update, indicating that the AirTag 2 is likely to go into mass production in the fourth quarter of 2024. He also states that he believes Apple wants to build a spatial computing ecosystem, with Vision Pro at the core, but that will also include the AirTag 2.

19 June 2022: An AirTag 2 could be on the cards

Ming-Chi Kuo tweets that sales of AirTags are estimated to reach 20 million in 2021 and 35 million in 2022. If the sales continue to grow, he believes that Apple will develop a second generation of the tracker.