Apple today officially unveiled AirTag, its location tracking beacons that can help Apple device owners find lost items through Apple’s “Find My” application. The AirTags themselves are small, rounded tracking devices that can be attached to personal items, like purses, bags or keys. Pre-orders start April 23 and are $29 USD for one AirTag or $99 for a pack of four.
The tags are small, polished stainless steel and white, and circular in shape, and have the Apple logo printed on the front. They also come with various case options and keychain dongles, allowing you to add an AirTag to your keys, for example, or a handbag or duffle, and so on. Further customization exists, including emoji symbols.
The item tracking uses the company’s proprietary U1 ultra-wideband chip for what it calls “Precision Finding.” This will work with Apple’s newer iPhones (iPhone 11, 11 Pro and the newer iPhone 12 devices) using the U1 chip and ultra-wideband, as well as other input from the camera, ARKit, accelerator and gyroscope. This way, the Find My app can guide users to a lost AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics and visual feedback.
The device also uses Bluetooth LE (low-energy) and is able to get a year of battery life, according to the company. When the battery is out of juice, it’s user replaceable. Apple says the AirTag is IP67 water- and dust-resistant, which means you could probably drop one in a toilet and it would be okay, but you shouldn’t expect iPhone-like miracles.
A built-in speaker will play sounds to locate the AirTag when the item it’s attached to goes missing. If the AirTag is farther afield than under your couch cushion, for example, users can place the device into a “Lost Mode” that will leverage Apple’s Find My network across everyone’s devices.
To ensure privacy, AirTags’ location data and location history is physically stored inside the device. Communication across the Find My network, meanwhile, is end-to-end encrypted.
And if you come across someone’s lost AirTag, you can tap it with your iPhone or other NFC devices to be taken to a website where you can contact the owner by phone.
At launch, Apple is offering a range of accessories including the Polyurethane Loop in white, navy, yellow and orange ($29), Leather Loop in brown and red ($39), and Leather Key Ring in brown, red and blue ($35). Apple and Hermès teamed up to create the AirTag Hermès, which includes a custom-engraved AirTag, and an assortment of leather accessories including the Bag Charm, Key Ring, Travel Tag and Luggage Tag.
In other news – Somizi supports his bestie Moshe Ndiki’s new kitchen business
Somizi Mhlongo took to social media to hype up Moshe Ndiki’s new big win – Moshe recently launched his very own spice range and Somizi is really so proud of him.
Fans cannot wait to try Moshe’s spices and think it is awesome that Somizi took the time to support him. Learn more
Source: techcrunch
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