Apple plans to release a second-generation AirTag next year with "considerably" longer range for item tracking, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said the new AirTag will use Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, or equivalent technology. The chip debuted last year in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple said it offers up to three times the range as its first-generation Ultra Wideband chip in the current AirTag. Indeed, Gurman said the new AirTag should offer triple the range as the current model.
On the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, there is a Precision Finding feature that can help you to find your friends in busy places, and it offers up to approximately 60 meters (around 200 feet) range. The new AirTag could offer similar range.
Last month, Gurman said the new AirTag will be released around mid-2025. In addition to longer range, he said the new AirTag's built-in speaker will be more difficult to remove, as a stalking-related safety measure. Overall, though, he does not expect the accessory to receive any major design changes when it is updated next year.
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so there will have been around a four-year wait for the second-generation model.
