Apple’s next AirTag could arrive in 2025

You may not have even thought about replacing your AirTag yet, but Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on a new one that could arrive in mid-2025. The new AirTag will reportedly feature an updated chip with better location tracking — an improvement it might need as competition among tracking devices ramps up.

By the time Apple rolls out its refreshed AirTag, the Bluetooth tracking landscape will look a lot different on both Android and iOS. Last month, Google revealed its new Find My Device network, which lets users locate their phones using signals from nearby Android devices. Even Life360, the safety service company that owns Tile, is creating its own location-tracking network that uses satellites to locate its Bluetooth tags.

In last week’s iOS 17.5 update, Apple finally started letting iPhones show unwanted tracking alerts for third-party Bluetooth tags. If an unknown AirTag or other third-party tracker is found with an iPhone user, they’ll get an alert and can play a sound to locate it. The feature is part of an industry specification created to prevent stalking across iPhones and Android devices. Several companies that make Bluetooth tracking devices, including Chipolo, Pebblebee, and Eufy are on board with the new standard.