Apple already leaked the iPhone SE (though it didn’t launch Friday, today’s another option). Now it seems they’ve leaked their upcoming “AirTags.” Not that they were a well-kept secret to begin with.
What’s an AirTag?
It’s an Apple Tile. That is, it’s a small object that you can put on something you lose often (like your keys), and it’ll help you find them. It can do this through a sound or through your app. It seems like Apple’s getting into the object location tracking game after all.
AirTags Leak
Apple has already taken the video down, but it’s clear that the new hardware is soon on the way, if it’s already in current versions of iOS under development at Apple. That could mean AirTags will launch before iOS 14 does this fall. However, it could also just mean Apple wanted to give a build of iOS 13 to AirTag testers.
Previous leaks showed a new tab in the “Find My…” app. This items tab referenced a product, “B389,” which would allow you to “keep track of everyday items.”
This sounds an awful lot like an existing product, Tile, which can allow you to find just about anything with an electronic dowsing rod. It comes in a few different models, with different features that make them perfect for whatever you’re trying to track, whether its your keys, bike, purse, or wallet. We don’t yet know if Apple’s product lineup will feature the same diversity as Tile’s, but it will at least copy the device tracking feature.
Will Apple be able to compete with Tile’s success? Most likely. Apple often enters markets where there’s an existing product. Sometimes, they improve upon that product, or more closely tie it into their operating systems. This gives them an advantage, one that many, like Spotify, deem unfair. Apple’s release schedule has been a little unorthodox due to the pandemic, but expect AirTags this year.
Sources:
- Buster Hein, Cult of Mac
- Joe Rossignol, MacRumors
- Mike Wuerthele, AppleInsider