Apple's new AirTag 2 is better in almost every way - for the same price

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ZDNET's key takeaways

Apple unveiled its second-generation AirTag.
The device gets a louder speaker and expanded location range.
It uses the same chip as recent Apple iPhones and Watches.

A new Apple AirTag could make it easier and quicker to locate lost items. On Monday, Apple unveiled its new AirTag with an expanded finding range and a louder speaker.

Since its 2021 debut, Apple's Bluetooth tracker has been used to monitor the location of all kinds of devices. People use the device to track their luggage through an airport, their keys, bags, wallet, and other valuable and commonly misplaced items.

Also: I put away my AirTag just minutes after trying this Bluetooth tracker alternative - here's why

The second-generation AirTag includes Apple's Ultra Wideband chip used in Apple's recent iPhone 17 lineup, the super-thin iPhone Air, the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and the Apple Watch Series 11. This new chip expands the range at which an item can be found, Apple said in a press release.

Apple's Precision Finding, a feature that uses haptic, audio, and visual feedback on an iPhone to guide users to their lost items, enables locating from 50% farther away than with the first-generation AirTag. The new AirTag is also 50% louder than the first generation, so users can hear its ringing from twice as far, Apple said.

Apple also announced that owners of the Apple Watch Series 9 and later and Ultra 2 and later can now use Precision Finding on their wrist.

Also: Best Bluetooth trackers you can buy

AirTags work by communicating with a crowdsourced network of Apple devices powered by Bluetooth to relay an item's location back to its owner. As mentioned, the devices have become an essential luggage accessory and an easy way to track delayed or lost suitcases at an airport. Because of this functionality, Apple has partnered with over 50 airlines to securely recover lost luggage through Share Item Location. A recent report found that Share Item Location reduced baggage delays by 26% and unrecoverable luggage incidents by 90%.

The second-gen AirTag costs $29 for a single and $99 for a four-pack, the same prices as the first-gen. It's compatible with all of Apple's existing AirTag accessories.

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