Sometimes they ask me: why is so much Apple news based on rumors and leaks? Well, because these rumors are so influential that get the competition moving even before a product is launched It hasn’t even been confirmed.
It happened a year ago with the AirTag: Apple’s beacon was not yet a reality but at Samsung they hurried and launched a competitor called Galaxy SmartTag before. We might even wonder if Samsung took inspiration from its product’s final AirTag name.
Each ecosystem with its own tag
A year later, the AirTag has been a reality for months and a great addition for all iPhone users and other company products. The Galaxy SmartTag has arrived before, and as with the Apple accessory each tag is linked to its own ecosystem. AirTags use the search network in which devices from more brands are integrated, while the SmartTag is integrated into the network of Samsung devices.
From there, it depends on what each company offers. Each tag has its pros and cons (the SmartTag has a keychain hole, that’s fine for you, Apple), but the popularity of both hasn’t proven to be spectacular. I haven’t heard of anyone talking about the SmartTag, and I don’t know of a general user with the direct intention of getting an AirTag. It has been sold, but it gives me the impression that it is only for brand enthusiasts.
In the end, what these props did was extend the ecosystems of Samsung and Apple separately. You cannot set up an AirTag with a Galaxy (but you can locate them) and you cannot use a SmartTag with an iPhone. Perhaps it is time to integrate the two networks into a universal standard and for all of us to help each other?
