AirTag 2 upgrade could bring significant improvements to Apple’s trackers

• Apple’s AirTag 2 might come with triple the tracking range
• The new version could also improve its security and privacy
• The tracking device is due to land in mid-2025

Apple’s AirTags have proved to be a popular way to keep track of your belongings and find them when they go missing, but they haven’t changed much since they launched in 2021. Now, though, Apple apparently has a new version on the way with some significant changes on board.

That information comes from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, where the journalist claims that the new AirTags will arrive next year. Gurman has previously contended that the device will launch around the middle of 2025, and that timeframe doesn’t seem to have changed in his most recent newsletter.

What should we expect in terms of features? Well, Gurman says that the new AirTags will come with a new ultra-wideband chip that’s on par with the one found in the iPhone 15.

This will “considerably” increase the AirTags range, up from the current distance of 10-30 meters to triple that figure, Gurman believes. That should make it a lot easier to find a lost item, as you won’t need to be so close to it to pick up its signal – and would help support the AirTags’ recent integration with airlines like United.

Security boost

Gurman has previously reported on other changes he claims are coming to the AirTags next year, including some notable privacy and security changes. Apple might make it harder to remove the AirTags’ speaker, for example, which would make it more difficult for stalkers to hide an AirTag in a victim’s belongings without being found out.

However, don’t expect a new design. Gurman’s previous report says the next AirTags will “look similar” to the existing model, and Apple is clearly happy enough not to change anything about their appearance.

Other than that, rumored features for the AirTag 2 are a little thin on the ground. We’d always welcome longer battery life, though, as well as a card-like design that fits better inside wallets and purses (although we’re not expecting that last change based on Gurman’s reporting).

With the new AirTag reportedly due to land in mid-2025, there’s not long to wait until we see what improvements Apple has prepared for its tracker. Hopefully, it’s able to improve on the existing model and make it even easier to find your lost items.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he’s learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That’s all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.