If you don’t know what Apple AirTags are, don’t worry, we’ve all been there! In a nutshell, we’re talking about an innovative creation from Apple that serves as a remarkable tracking tool. Its primary role is to assist users in locating their valuable belongings, functioning as a reliable key finder.
AirTag offers an incredibly convenient solution if you want to stay organized with your belongings. Simply attach one to your keys or place another in your backpack, and instantly they become visible on your radar while you use the Find My app. Not only can you easily locate your items, but you can also track your Apple devices and stay connected with loved ones all in one place.
How do AirTags work?
AirTags use a combination of Bluetooth and Apple’s exclusive U1 chip, developed in-house by their engineers, to enable tracking of the user’s favorite items through the Find My app. With the integration of Ultra Wideband technology, devices equipped with this feature gain spatial awareness and global tracking capabilities.
Although Ultra Wideband is supported by iPhone 11 and newer models, it might not be available in some countries due to regulatory requirements. The U1 chip not only allows precise location tracking of U1-equipped Apple devices such as iPads, AirPods, and Macs, but it also employs advanced data randomization techniques to protect privacy. This includes MAC address and Wi-Fi frame sequence number randomization.
How can I use AirTags?
AirTags offer an efficient solution for keeping track of your belongings. Once you have paired an AirTag with your Apple ID, you will gain access to its location tracking capabilities by using the Find My app on your iOS or Mac devices. This allows you to monitor the whereabouts in real time, which, let’s admit it: it will definitely provide peace of mind to you.
To begin using AirTags, you must make sure that you have an iPhone or iPod touch running on iOS 14.5 or later, or an iPad that has iPadOS 14.5 installed or a later version. Once your compatible device is ready, you can easily connect the AirTag to your Apple ID.
Once the AirTag is connected, you can easily monitor its location using the Find My app. This app serves as a central hub for tracking all your Apple devices regardless of their location, including iPhones, iPads, AirPods, and even MacBook laptops.
Within the Find My app, you will gain access to a map interface that displays the real-time location of your AirTag. This allows you to pinpoint the precise whereabouts and take appropriate action to retrieve your valuable item. Whether you have attached an AirTag to your keys, got one in your briefcase, or placed it on any other personal item, the Find My app ensures that they are always on your radar.
Except for the location tracking, the Find My app offers additional features to enhance your experience. For instance, you can customize the name and appearance of each AirTag to easily locate them on the map. Furthermore, the app provides notifications and alerts to keep you informed about your items and how close they are to you or if they are left behind in certain locations.
It is worth keeping in mind that the availability of Ultra Wideband may vary across countries due to regulatory requirements, and certain locations may have restrictions on its usage.
Feel free to tell us about your own experience with Apple AirTags! How useful are they for you, personally? Do you think that the hype surrounding them is exaggerated? We gladly read all the comments, so feel free to leave us your thoughts in the comment section below!
Tim M. Hill helped bring Digital-Overload from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a writer to Digital-Overload, Tim mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.
