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Apple's next-gen AirTag 2 may not be releasing any time soon
- A new report suggests that Apple had initially planned to release AirTag 2 in 2024 but decided to push it back to 2025.
- While the product is successful and has little competition, Apple is also said to be sitting on a lot of unsold inventory.
- The AirTag 2 could come with the U2 ultra wideband chip.
Apple’s AirTag is practically competition-less in the market, even though competitors exist. Apple has nailed down everything a good item tracker needs, and the ability to tap into the wide iPhone network grants AirTag unmatched utility. Android’s Find My Device is overdue for an update to add proximity-based tracking and opening up the ecosystem. But until that happens, AirTags reign supreme. Apple is well aware of this fact, so the AirTag 2 might not be released any time soon.
According to a report from Mark Gurman (via 9to5Mac), Apple initially considered a 2024 release for the AirTag 2 but then decided to wait until 2025. Apple’s robust Find My network has little competition, and the first-generation AirTag continues to work fairly well.
Apple also has a unique problem for a successful product with no competition: overproduction. The report suggests that Apple retail store back rooms and device storage warehouses are still “full to the brim” with AirTags.
While we cannot speak about Apple’s internal estimates, we know that AirTags don’t often get replaced if they do their job well (and they do). For the most part, AirTags need a battery swap to continue functioning, and you need a new one only if you lose the product attached to the AirTag or it gets damaged.
For the AirTag 2, the report mentions that Apple is primarily aiming for an upgraded wireless chip that would bring the AirTag in line with the newer parts inside the latest iPhones and Apple Watches. This means that the AirTag 2 could be getting the second-generation Ultra-Wideband chip (U2), which has an extended range compared to the U1.
If you were waiting for a new AirTag release, the signs are clear that it’s not happening any time soon. So go ahead and pick the first-gen AirTag. They are also pretty good at what they do.