Apple AirTag vs Tile: Tracker pros and cons you need to know

Apple AirTag was recently released as an iPhone accessory that offers a way to locate your personal items. After the announcement of Apple AirTag, the first thought that everyone had was about the impact this will have on Tile, who has been leading the tracking device market for many years. Given the scale and marketing power of Apple, it is very natural to think that Tile’s market share will be significantly impacted with the introduction of AirTags. For Tile, the AirTag announcement was not a surprise Tile filed anti-trust claims against Apple stopped selling its devices in Apple Stores and hired one of Tile’s engineers. However, is it possible that Tile might actually experience growth now that Apple has brought more attention to the tracking devices market. In order to answer that question, let’s have a look at what both products have to offer in terms of advantages and drawbacks.

Apple AirTag vs Tile: Similarities and Specs comparison

The Apple AirTag and Tile work similarly in that they send out a secure long range Bluetooth signal that can be detected by the smartphone it is paired with. If the tracker is outside the range of your smartphone then it relies on nearby devices to detect the Bluetooth signal to send the location of the tracker back to you. In case of Apple, the location of your AirTag is sent back to iCloud, which allows you to use the Find My app to see it on a map. Given this functionality, you can clip the trackers on your personal items like luggage, keys, DSLR Camera, purse, backpack, drones, bike, car, umbrella, tech devices, coat/jacket, etc.

Apple AirTag and Tile both use long range bluetooth tracking and community leveraged location tracking. Both devices feature a similar bluetooth range of around 100 meters. It is important to note that these tracking devices are not GPS enabled, so you will not be able to track the position of your personal items in real-time at regular intervals. They both feature built-in speakers for audio alerts with waterproofing and a replaceable battery (not on some Tile models). Both devices are waterproof but Tile Pro can be fully submerged in water for 1 Hour and 1.5 Meters, whereas AirTag is limited to 1 Meter and 30 minutes.

Tile Pro device does cost more at $35 but it comes with a hole for attaching to your personal items. The Apple AirTag costs $30 but requires an additional accessory for attachment purposes. In terms of cost, both devices are similar as you can buy four AirTags and Tile Pro devices for $100 USD. Check out our comparison of the technical specs below:

Apple AirTag: Advantages

1. Community leveraged location tracking: AirTag taps into the vast, global Find My network and can help locate a lost item. If an AirTag is separated from its owner and out of Bluetooth range, the Find My network can help track it down. The Find My network is approaching a billion Apple devices and can detect Bluetooth signals from a lost AirTag and relay the location back to its owner, all in the background, anonymously and privately. This is where Apple has the biggest advantage as Tile’s network relies on 30 million devices so you are much more likely to quickly find your lost device with an AirTag.
2. Ultra-Wide band precision finding: When you are within the bluetooth range (~30 feet), Precision Finding with the help of the U1 chip using Ultra Wideband technology and accelerometer gives users the exact distance and direction to their AirTag, guiding them through a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback
3. NFC features: Apple AirTag does include NFC chip to allow for easy pairing with an iPhone. In addition, if a user detects an unknown AirTag, they can tap it with their iPhone or NFC-capable device and instructions will guide them to disable the unknown AirTag.
4. No Subscription required: Apple AirTags will work out of the box without any additional subscription. With Tile, if you want to take advantage of additional features like 30 day location history, smart alerts (for notification before you leave things behind), and unlimited sharing, then you will have to get the premium package for $3/month. It is important to note that some of these features are not confirmed with AirTags, except for the existing capability to share your location via Find My network.

Apple AirTag: Drawbacks

1. Closed ecosystem: Tile can be used cross-platform, on both Android and iOS devices. For Android users, Tile is still offers a very compelling lineup of products for tracking your personal items. If you are in a household with devices running on both Android and iOS platforms, Tile does offer an advantage of compatibility
2. Thief friendly features: If you are planning to put the AirTag in your car or backpack in the hope of tracking it when someone steals the car or backpack, you need to know that you can’t effectively use AirTag to find a stolen item. Apple AirTag makes a sound and send a notification when it is following a stranger so the thief would be alerted on their iPhone device or via audible sound. Apple has put a huge amount of thought into the Privacy side of things and therefore some features will prevent or work against the anti-theft portion. Apple doesn’t claim to offer anti-theft features but many users assume that they will get this functionality, so it is important to keep this in mind. The timing of the notification on the stranger’s device is not very clear as we have found that a notification could be received after 2 hours the tracker has been away from home or at the end of the day or when the stranger arrives back at the address they have specified as their home/work. If the thief has an Android device or hasn’t updated to iOS 14.5
3. One form factor: Currently, Apple only offers one device tracking device whereas Tile offers a number of different form factors for the trackers, including Pro, Mate, Slim, and Sticker, so you might find one that is right for you. In addition, Tile does have an exclusive feature with its built-in button that allows you to find your phone by forcing it to play a sound. So if you have your Tile with you but misplace your phone, you can reverse the process and find your phone with your Tile device.
4. Precision finding limited to newer iPhones and stationary objects: First of all, the precision finding feature is only supported on the Apple iPhone 11 or later with U1 chip using Ultra Wideband technology. In addition, AirTag’s precision finding feature isn’t intended for objects that are moving. For instance, you won’t be able to find your luggage at the airport carousel when it is moving, so you are better off using your eyes to find your luggage at the carousel.
5. Stalker problem and unwanted tracking alerts: From a privacy stand point, Apple has added features that discourage unwanted tracking by notifying the iOS user if an unknown AirTag is seen to be traveling with them from place to place over time. The feature doesn’t work as well for Android users or for devices not yet upgraded to iOS 14.5, as they won’t be alerted to an unwanted AirTag’s presence until it’s been away from its owner for three days. This means that the android users can be tracked for 3 days without notice. On the other side of the equation, you may not like this feature if you don’t want to be notified of lost items on your iOS device. However, the chances of an unwanted item travelling with you are very low and it is always better to know if you have any unwanted items nearby for your own safety.

In conclusion, if you are already committed to the Apple ecosystem than AirTags will be quicker and more convenient to use. The Apple Find My network is way bigger without a subscription cost and AirTags are much easier to setup and offer precision finding with newer iPhones. As long as you are okay with the drawbacks mentioned above, Apple AirTags offer a very compelling tracking device at a low price tag.

Source: iMore, Tom’sGuide