![]() I suspect the AirTag has been pushed deep into the wild grass at the perimeter of the carparks, and clearly isn’t obvious to passers by, who are more excited to see the light trail than look for lost items as they make their way to the start. But this is a forest - the carparks (there are at least 10 of them that I counted, there could be more) are gravel expanses interspersed with grass, and small patches of woodland. ![]() The only place I had my keys out was in the carpark. I’ve popped the AirTag in lost mode and added my phone number so anyone that finds the tracker will be able to contact me, however that’s not happened yet. That was almost a month ago, and not a day goes past when I don’t open the Find My app to see an update timestamp but with the same location. Even as a tech journalist, I underestimated just how many people own an iPhone because the alerts didn’t stop coming. The attraction opens at midday and not long after 12pm it became very clear that my AirTag was still in the forest, as its location was constantly being updated as the hordes of visitors arrived and iPhones passed within close reach of the AirTag. Had a child seen its shiny silver finish and picked it up thinking it was a toy, only for their parents not to have any Apple devices at home? The last known location being displayed in the app was the forest I’d visited, however the timestamp was for the previous evening. Given I’d only removed my keys twice, I assumed it must still be in the car - so I got in the car, pulled out my iPhone, opened the Find My app, and attempted to make the AirTag make a sound - only to discover the tracker was unreachable. The evening was extremely enjoyable, however slightly marred by my dismay the next morning when I discovered my AirTag was missing from its silicon holder. Very soon, one of my AirTags was encased in one of them attached, very securely (or so I thought) to my car keys.įast forward a few weeks, with the nights drawing in and Christmas on the horizon, I headed to a forest in the south east of the UK (about an hour’s drive away from where I live) to take part in a festive light trail. In just a few taps, two silicon key fobs supposedly designed for AirTags were winging their way to me for the princely sum of £3.39 (around $4.50 / AU$6). ![]() So I turned my attention to Amazon, where you can find myriad sellers offering non-approved accessories, including AirTag key fobs. There are Apple-made silicon loops that are slightly more affordable at $29 / £29 / AU$45 and approved third-party key fobs from the likes of Belkin, OtterBox and Tech21 - however these still cost at least $12.95 / £11.95 / AU$19.95 - if you’ve got several AirTags this can become pricey. The official Apple key fob, which ensures the AirTag can be attached to, well, keys only comes in a leather finish and will set you back a cool $35 / £35 / AU$55. However, it doesn’t come with any way to attach it to items such as your keys - you’ll need to purchase this separately. The AirTag itself is $29 / £29 / AU$45, which is more expensive than Tile. Since UWB is only present in devices from iPhone 11 on, it is possible that air tags will only work with these and newer models.So, I’m guessing you’re wondering what happened? Well, Apple products are expensive, and while when it comes to the devices themselves I can understand the premium price tag, the money-saver in me baulks at the price of Apple’s accessories, and no more so than when it comes to AirTag. While Bluetooth can determine the position of an item within a few meters, UWB can do so at a distance of 5 to 10 centimeters. Most Bluetooth finders have no problem holding a stable connection between different rooms, but it is rumored that AirTags will also use UWB (ultra-wideband) technology that will help them determine a more precise location of your lost items indoors. Generally speaking, your tracking tag will still maintain a stable connection with the app on your phone at a range between 50 – 150 feet (15 - 45 meters). Indoors, where there are obstacles like walls, the Bluetooth signal strength will decrease, and with it, the range at which the key finder can stay connected. Most Bluetooth finders can stay connected to your phone for up to 300 ft (90 meters) outside, where there are no obstacles. ![]() Bluetooth tracking tags range is limited by the capabilities of your phone’s Bluetooth. ![]()
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