Apple Unveils AirTag 2: Enhanced Precision and Airline Integration

CUPERTINO (Azat TV) – Apple today, January 26, 2026, officially launched the second generation of its popular AirTag item tracker, introducing significant advancements in tracking capabilities, privacy features, and environmental sustainability, all while maintaining its original price point of $29 for a single unit. This update is crucial for users seeking more reliable item recovery and enhanced security, particularly with new integrations designed to streamline the recovery of misplaced items, especially during travel, marking a notable evolution for the bestselling accessory.

Enhanced Tracking Capabilities and Wider Reach

The new AirTag is powered by Apple’s second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip, the same advanced technology found in the latest iPhone 17 lineup, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch Series 11. This upgrade enables a 50 percent longer Precision Finding range compared to the original AirTag, allowing users to locate lost items from significantly greater distances with haptic, visual, and audio feedback, as confirmed by Apple’s newsroom. An upgraded Bluetooth chip further expands the overall tracking range.

Adding to its findability, the redesigned AirTag features an internal speaker that is 50 percent louder than its predecessor, with sound capable of traveling nearly twice the distance. This makes locating items hidden deep in couch cushions or within noisy environments like airports considerably easier. For the first time, Precision Finding is also extended to the wrist, allowing users of Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, running watchOS 26.2.1, to utilize this precise tracking functionality directly from their smartwatch, as reported by MacRumors.

Boosted Privacy and Seamless Airline Integration

Apple continues to prioritize user privacy and security with the AirTag 2. The device is engineered with a physical anti-tampering redesign, making it substantially more difficult to disable or remove the speaker, directly addressing previous concerns about misuse. Furthermore, it retains industry-leading privacy protections, including end-to-end encryption for all Find My network communications, unique Bluetooth identifiers that change frequently, and cross-platform alerts for unwanted tracking, ensuring only the owner can access location data, according to Sportskeeda.

A significant new feature is the integration with Share Item Location, an iOS 26 capability designed to facilitate the recovery of misplaced items by securely and temporarily sharing their location with trusted third parties. Apple has partnered directly with more than 50 airlines to privately accept these Share Item Location links. This allows users to share a secure, time-limited link with an airline’s customer service team, enabling them to assist in recovering delayed or lost luggage. SITA, a leading IT provider for airlines, reports that this feature has already reduced baggage delays by 26 percent and cut incidences of ‘truly lost’ or unrecoverable luggage by 90 percent. Access to shared locations is granted only to authorized personnel via secure authentication and automatically expires after seven days or when the item is reunited with its owner.

Commitment to Sustainability and Design Continuity

In line with Apple’s ambitious 2030 goal to achieve carbon neutrality across its entire footprint, the new AirTag incorporates significant environmental improvements. The enclosure is made with 85 percent recycled plastic, while all magnets utilize 100 percent recycled rare earth elements, and all Apple-designed printed circuit boards feature 100 percent recycled gold plating. The packaging is entirely fiber-based and easily recyclable. Despite these internal changes, the AirTag 2 maintains the same iconic form factor as the original, ensuring compatibility with all existing AirTag accessories, including the FineWoven Key Ring, which itself is made from 68 percent recycled content, as noted by Apple’s newsroom.

Pricing, Availability, and Identifying the New Model

The new AirTag is available for order today on apple.com and through the Apple Store app, with availability at Apple Store locations later this week and at Apple Authorized Resellers. It is priced at $29 (U.S.) for a single AirTag and $99 (U.S.) for a four-pack, matching the pricing of its predecessor. Customers can also opt for free personalized engraving when purchasing directly from Apple. The device requires a compatible iPhone or iPad running iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later.

For consumers wondering how to distinguish between the first and second-generation models, 9to5Mac clarifies that while the official product name remains ‘AirTag,’ the new model can be identified by the etchings on its back. The AirTag 2 features ‘FIND MY / NFC / BLUETOOTH LE / ULTRA WIDEBAND / IP67 / APPLE INC.’ in all capital letters, whereas the original AirTag has mixed-case text. Retailers are also expected to label the original as ‘1st Generation’ for clarity.

The launch of the AirTag 2 solidifies Apple’s commitment to refining its successful item-tracking ecosystem, addressing key user feedback regarding range, sound, and privacy while significantly enhancing its utility for common pain points like travel. By maintaining the price point and form factor, Apple ensures a seamless upgrade path and broad accessory compatibility, positioning the new AirTag as a more robust and integrated solution within its expanding network of devices and services.