Apple’s new AirTag has more range and a better speaker

Five years after releasing its first AirTag, Apple’s giving it an upgrade.

by Emma Roth

Jan 26, 2026, 2:32 PM UTC

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Image: Apple

Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

Apple has revealed a new AirTag that comes with the company’s upgraded ultra wideband chip, allowing for more precise location tracking. It has the same $29 for one or $99 for a four-pack price as the AirTag it’s replacing, while the new chip powers Apple’s Precision Finding feature, which uses haptic, visual, and audio feedback to guide you to items from up to “50 percent farther away.”

Along with more accurate location tracking, the new AirTag has an updated speaker that Apple says is 50 percent louder, as well as a Bluetooth chip that “expands the range at which items can be located. You can also use the Precision Finding feature with an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, with watchOS 26.2.1.

Image: Apple

The new AirTag is compatible with all existing accessories. Apple notes that the AirTag “doesn’t physically store location data or history on device,” while end-to-end encryption secures communication with its Find My network. It adds that the AirTag also includes measures to protect against unwanted tracking, “including cross-platform alerts and unique Bluetooth identifiers that change frequently.” Apple partnered with Google in 2023 on an industry standard designed to help limit AirTag tracking.