Apple AirTag Reviews:

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One of the smallest and most affordable devices from Apple, the AirTag is also interesting for a number of reasons. This tiny, disc-shaped tracking device is made to work within the Apple ecosystem, giving you an easy way to keep tabs on small objects such as keys, wallets, backpacks, handbags, and cameras. There are similar products, including the Tile range of trackers and Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag, but the AirTag is smaller, looks better, and is designed to work well if you're invested in Apple's products and services. Priced at Rs. 3,190 for one Apple AirTag, or Rs. 10,900 for a pack of four, this product serves a very specific purpose – helping you keep track of your belongings. Is it good at what it does? Find out in this review.

What is Apple AirTag?

The Apple AirTag is a tracking device that can be attached to a small personal object such as a bunch of keys, or placed inside a backpack, handbag, or suitcase. The device uses Bluetooth for connectivity, and draws power from a replaceable CR2032 button cell. The small, disc-shaped tracker can be linked to your Apple ID using an iOS device, and controlled using Apple's Find My app.

Of course, this method isn't perfect, and indeed AirTags work best when used within a small and known radius. They're meant to efficiently help you find something you've misplaced in your home or office, rather than lost on the street.

Each AirTag runs on a replaceable battery that is said to power the device for up to a year before needing a replacement. For connectivity, they use Bluetooth Low Energy. AirTags are compatible with any iPhone, iPod touch or iPad running iOS 14.5 or later. There's also a Precision Finding feature that leverages Ultra Wideband through the U1 chip on compatible iPhones (all iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models). Each AirTag has a built-in ringer that emits a sound to help you locate it in close range. The device is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance.

It's worth pointing out that the AirTag is very prone to scuffs on the metal outer side, and just a few days into its use I already had a few scratches. These didn't bother me too much since they didn't affect the functioning of the device; this is meant to be something you set up and forget about, until the unfortunate point that you may need to activate its tracking features.

Apple sent me a pack of four AirTags for review, along with a Rs. 3,590 Leather Key Ring and a Rs. 2,990 Loop. Each AirTag can be set up separately, and the accessories, although expensive, will help in attaching them to objects you want to use, such as keys or a bag. It's worth pointing out that you can buy more affordable third-party accessories for the AirTags, with plenty of options available on e-commerce stores.

How do I use Apple AirTag?

Apple tends to make the setup process simple with its products, and Apple AirTags are incredibly easy to set up. It took me less than a minute to get one ready for use; it was detected by my iPhone immediately on activating it, and took just a handful of steps to register it to my Apple ID with an editable electronic label. There are a few selectable options for labelling each AirTag, such as Keys, Backpack, and Bike, to name a few, but you can also choose a custom label for your AirTag and change it at any time. Once done, I was able to keep track of the AirTag – and the personal item it was attached to – with the Find My app on iOS. The app allows you to track devices such as an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Apple audio products, and those of other people such as family members (when location sharing access has been granted to you). For AirTags, the ‘Items' section is the important one, since this shows the location of your ‘AirTagged' personal items, and also lets you access the controls and functions for specific items.

The first thing you'll see is a map view (powered by Apple Maps), which shows the last known location of your tagged items. Pulling up the items list shows you specifics about those items - in my case, all three showed a ‘With You' sign, indicating that they were in the immediate vicinity of my iPhone.