Cross-platform Bluetooth locators for use with iPhone and Android

Product that Apple brings to the market, product that raises expectations and controversies. The AirTag is no exception. The size of a button, this little device arrived a few months ago with the promise of helping the distraught find their most prized possessions through the iPhone.

For 35 dollars we can place an AirTag on the key ring, the backpack or even the car (in some cases additional accessories are required, such as straps or stickers to keep them attached to objects) and have them locate “always”. And we always put quotes because you need to be clear about how it works and its limitations.

What is the AirTag and how does it work?

The AirTag is the Apple’s first Bluetooth locator. As such, it is a device designed to be tracked and help find the objects to which it is attached, see a key ring, a backpack, small electronic devices, vehicles…

The Find My app for iOS devices is the tool with which AirTags are located, and they use Bluetooth technology to be found. If they are out of range of the iPhone, the Web find my, consisting of Apple devices, is launched in an attempt to send its owner the exact location. That is, if an iPhone comes within range of the lost AirTag, it sends the location to the owner so they can retrieve it.

With a battery life of around a year, and an easily user-replaceable battery (it’s a button cell), if the AirTag has been separated from its owner for several hours, it has some kind of of speaker that beeps to alert you to your presencein particular to prevent it from being maliciously placed in the possessions of others and trying to follow it.

If the person who found you does not have an iPhone, but an Android smartphone, you can use NFC technology to know the message that the user has predefined in case of loss or his name and a contact telephone number. Finally, comment that it has an IP67 resistance to withstand 30 minutes submerged in water (in laboratory tests).

AirTag Restrictions

As we mentioned, the AirTag uses Bluetooth technology, which has a range that can currently exceed 100 meters (depending on the version, the most recent being Bluetooth 5.2). The AirTag can be located at a maximum distance of about 100 metersand if the iPhone has an ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, a distance of 10 meters can determine your exact location.

If the AirTag is out of range of our iPhone, it depends on the network find my. And this can be a major problem in the case of countries like Europe, where 84% of the population owns a smartphone with the Android operating system (and 16% owns an iPhone). This means that the chances of locating an AirTag outside of Bluetooth range are much lower than in countries like the United States, where half the population uses an iOS mobile. And if you want to use it in rural or sparsely populated environments, they also lose a lot of their meaning, being a more interesting GPS locator.

On the other hand, although the AirTag can be identified with an Android smartphone using NFC to display the preset message and phone number, an iPhone is required to activate it and use it normally. That is to say only works if you have an apple smartphone. This is something that is not surprising, since Apple usually limits the operation of its devices a lot with proposals outside its ecosystem.

Another fact to consider, although less important, is that Up to 16 AirTags can be associated with each Apple ID. A single user is unlikely to have so many active pagers, but it’s worth knowing.

Bluetooth locators beyond the AirTag

Bluetooth locators are not an invention of Apple. There were already models with the same functions before the company introduced the AirTag. And although they suffer from the same limitations, one of their strengths is that they are cross-platform and can be used with iPhone and Android smartphones.

Before you start commenting on the alternatives to the Apple AirTag, make it clear that the operation of these proposals also works with Bluetooth, and if the AirTag has problems in Europe because the number of iPhones is not as large as in the United States, those who use their own network will be further reduced. However, if it is a question of locating products which one usually has near or at home but which one sometimes loses, they are just as useful.

Bluetooth tile detectors

Tile is the best known brand of Bluetooth locators, and in its catalog it has several proposals depending on the needs of the user and the element to which it is attached.

• Mate Tile (2022) (24.99 dollars): Bluetooth locator with a range of 60 meters. It locates with the Tile app to make it ring when it’s in reach or you can ask a ‘smart’ device to ‘call’ it, as it’s compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. If you are out of Bluetooth range, you can try to find it with the Tile network. It has water resistance (IP67), its battery lasts up to three years (it is not replaceable) and to take full advantage of it you need a subscription.

• Tile Pro (2022) (34.99 dollars): this model is a little more expensive than the previous one, but it has a greater range (120 meters via Bluetooth) and its battery, although it lasts about a year, is replaceable. It’s still waterproof and works with Alexa, Google Assitant and Siri.

• Tile sticker (2022) (28.95 dollars): from Tile we ended up with the smallest option, but no less useful for this. Its strong point is that it sticks to the object you want to locate (the covers of the glasses, the remote control, the dog’s collar…). It is waterproof, has a range of up to 76 meters and its non-replaceable battery lasts up to three years.

Chipolo Bluetooth Locators

• Chipolo One (2020) (25 dollars): Chipolo’s proposal has a design similar to that of the Apple AirTag and is able to reproduce a Loud 120dB sound to help user find lost item quickly. It’s waterproof, has a battery that lasts up to two years (replaceable), and out-of-range alerts at no extra cost. You can double tap the Chipolo to ring the phone. In line of sight, it can be located up to 60 meters away. It is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.

• Chipolo One Spot (2021) (30 dollars): the other Chipolo alternative works with iPhone only and integrates with the Find My network to be able to find it from an iPhone, iPad or Mac, it has a hole to attach it directly to a key ring without the need for an accessory. It can produce a powerful 120dB sound for easy searching and has a long battery life (up to a year, and the battery is easily replaceable).

Filo Bluetooth Locator

• Yarn Tag (2022) (24.90 dollars): We continue with another good design proposal available in different colors. It can be used with iPhone and Android and can be located within a radius of 80 meters via Bluetooth. If you are out of range, you receive a free notification on your smartphone. It works without a SIM card and has a lifespan of about 12 months (the battery can be replaced).

Nutale Bluetooth Locator

• Nutale Bluetooth Key Finder (19.99 dollars): compatible with iOS and Android and small in size, this Bluetooth locator has an autonomy of about 10 months and a range of 50 meters. It stands out for its sleek design and each user can register up to six pagers in their account.

You can be up to date and at all times informed of all the news from the Apple world and the offers of Applesfera Selección in our profiles of Twitter and Facebook.

Note: Some of the links displayed here are affiliate links. Despite this, none of the items mentioned were offered by either the brands or the stores, their introduction being a sole editorial decision.