Why Apple AirTag (2nd Gen) 4-Pack Quietly Solves the Everyday Problem of Lost Stuff

Keys vanish between couch cushions, a wallet falls out of a jacket pocket at the coffee shop, or luggage goes into the black hole of an airport carousel. For anyone who has spent twenty minutes hunting through the same three rooms, the second-generation Apple AirTag four-pack, priced at $79.99 (was $99), provides a practical and effective solution.

Each AirTag is a smooth white disk that is slightly more than an inch in diameter and half an inch in thickness. It’s a little heavier than the previous iteration, but it still feels light enough to fit into a bag or attach to a keyring using one of the several holders available. The back includes a stainless steel plate that twists out, allowing you to switch out the CR2032 coin battery, which Apple claims will last a year or more under normal use. In addition, your iPhone will notify you when the battery begins to run low.

It takes little time to get started; users simply open the Find My app, hold the AirTag up to their phone, name it, and they’re done. From there, the tag is connected to the vast network of existing Apple devices. When the item moves out of Bluetooth range, nearby iPhones, iPads, and Macs will discreetly transmit you its last known location, all encrypted and private, so even Apple cannot snoop in to see where your stuff is.

Taking a deeper dive reveals where the new second-generation AirTags truly shine. Precision finding has increased by around 50%, thanks primarily to the new Ultra Wideband processor. So, when you hold up your compatible iPhone or Apple Watch, the screen suddenly fills with distance numbers and direction arrows. As you go closer, the haptic taps become louder, as does the built-in speaker, which is about 50% louder, and that one adjustment transforms a beautiful quiet beep into a sound you can hear under a pile of laundry or inside a suitcase. All of this implies that the overall experience of locating anything is much faster and less frustrating.

The electronics retain their IP67 classification, so a quick splash or a dusty old garage shelf will not be the end of it. You can still utilize any existing AirTag 1 accessory, and the privacy features have become even tighter, as the Bluetooth identifier now changes more frequently, and it still complains to users if an unknown AirTag hangs around for too long.