What if Apple had been around for a century? Janet Leigh’s Marion Crane would have looked up Tripadvisor on her iPhone and avoided Bates Motel in Psycho because of its terrible ratings. Or John Cusack’s Lloyd in Say Anything… would have been holding an iPod instead of a boombox, playing Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes under Diane’s open bedroom window. And in Toy Story 4, Bonnie would have put an AirTag on Woody, so he couldn’t have become a “lost toy”.

Ah yes, Apple AirTag is here and it can change the lives of the absent-minded lot for the better. It’s also an example of the marriage of technology and privacy. Oh, it will also give new direction to the industry dedicated to making tracker-style accessories to find objects.

For those who are unaware of AirTag, it’s an item tracker. So you can attach it to anything that you might lose or things that you take from place to place. Some relatable examples are your purse, backpack, bicycle, musical instrument and, of course, keys. But it’s more than just that. It’s among the first consumer devices to support ultra-wideband — a wireless technology that lets you detect precise proximity between objects. Using your iPhone you can find out if the puck-shaped AirTag is a few feet away or perhaps inches. And it’s far superior to Bluetooth when it comes to finding items.

Putting it to use

Setting up an AirTag is as easy as counting to 10. Open the box, take out the AirTag, rip the plastic casing off, bring it close to your iPhone, let Bluetooth pair the devices, put a name to the AirTag, and attach it to anything you want. It’s as easy as it sounds. The entire process takes around a minute. It doesn’t matter… much… if you use an older iPhone. But only with newer devices (iPhone 11 and 12 series) can the tracker take advantage ultra-wideband’s precise locator abilities.

The AirTag alone can be kept inside a wallet, which is not a problem but if you want to attach it to an object, there are options, like Leather Ring or AirTag Loop, which needs to be purchased separately.

The word ‘uncomplicated’ defines the product from the user perspective but the technology behind it is highly complex. Say you have misplaced the house keys attached to a key ring containing the AirTag. To find it, visit the Find My app on the phone, select an item (this is where naming of the AirTag comes into play) and hit ‘Find’. The app will connect with the AirTag and the ultrawide chip will direct you to the tag. On the phone’s screen an arrow will appear to point you in the direction of the AirTag (older iPhones can find AirTags using Bluetooth). As you approach, you will be able to hear the tracker beep.

Let’s go beyond this. Say, you have dropped your keys in the park while taking out the wallet. Apple’s Find My network can help your iPhone locate the lost item. AirTags work on the Find My network by emitting Bluetooth identifiers. And these identifiers are not reused, meaning when you travel with an AirTag from place to place, you are not re-identified. Further, Find My network is encrypted. The signals from the AirTag are carried forward but only your device can decode it. The network leverages the entire Apple base, so it offers a scale of almost a billion devices. Best part of the deal is that all the information is end-to-end encrypted and not even Apple can see it.

That brings us to Lost Mode. Once you put an AirTag in this mode and it’s detected by a device in the network, you will automatically get a notification. There is also the option to put in contact info, so someone can get in touch with you by tapping your AirTag with an NFC-capable smartphone, which is the same tech that allows people pay for things with their phones.

In case an AirTag is slipped into someone’s bag, Apple has a solution for that also. If your iPhone notices that an AirTag is following you around but is not attached to your device, you will be notified through beeps. But if you (an AirTag owner) are in a car with someone who also has an iPhone, the other person won’t be notified because the tracker is still with you. These alerts are triggered only when an AirTag is separated from its owner.

Drop an AirTag inside your wallet, which, if lost, can easily be found using the Find My app The Telegraph

And a practical consideration

Unlike most trackers in the market, the AirTag comes with replaceable battery (CR2032). The battery that comes attached with the device should last you around one year, after which you can replace it yourself.

When it comes to competition, namely Tile, long-distance tracking is limited to the number of other Tiles users in the surrounding area. Compared to this, AirTag is far more reliable because it can ping other Apple devices, including iPhone and iPad models. The number of Apple device owners outnumber the number of Tile owners. In case you use Samsung phones, SmartTag and SmartTag Plus are the options for you.

Agreed that you need to buy a separate accessory to attach an AirTag to but that Apple has managed to pack in heaps of privacy-related features into a tiny device that can be of immense help to you, needs to be acknowledged. The Apple Watch changed the smartwatch game and AirPods made wireless earbuds a thriving category. The AirTag will do the same for trackers. I don’t know about you but as and when I get an opportunity to return to office with my coffee flask, my AirTag will be on it. What the heck, give me four of them because I’m absent-minded and wouldn’t like to part with the things I own. The only thing you will lose after owning the AirTag is stress and not your sanity if things get misplaced.

At a glance

The AirTag can be used with a Leather Key Ring and it does make a fashion statement

Device: Apple Air Tag

Price: One AirTag costs Rs 3,190 and a pack of four costs Rs 10,900

Practical use case

• Tracking pets: Attach it to the collar

• For all your important items: Keys, wallet, employee badge, laptop bag, bicycle and so on

• Luggage: Put it on your suitcase and chances of finding lost luggage becomes easier

• Put it in the glove compartment of the car: If you often have problem finding your car in a parking lot, the gadget will make life easier

High notes

• Precise location identification

• Doesn’t compromise your privacy; end-to-end encryption means even Apple can’t read coordinates

• If the battery runs out, you can replace the battery yourself

• Easy to set up

• Takes advantage of Apple’s vast Find My Network

• Comes with a Bluetooth Low Energy radio and U1 ultra-wideband (UWB) chip

• IP67 water- and dust-resistant

Muffled notes

• You need to buy accessories separately to attach the AirTag to (it’s optional since you can keep an AirTag, say, inside your bag or wallet)