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The other trackers have dedicated divots for separating the pieces with a fingernail-moisturize to your heart’s content! The ultimate white whale: a tool-free user-replaceable battery in an Apple product! It even comes with written instructions.Ĭompeting devices have replaceable batteries, so Apple may have been pressured to match the market standard in that respect. Imagine opening a stubborn pickle jar with just two slippery thumbs, and you’ve got the idea. Opening salvoĪll three trackers open up with finger power-no other tools required! That said, the AirTag is by far the most difficult, especially if you indulged in a snack earlier and have greasy digits. We tried to secure one for our teardown, but struck out. Samsung just launched a UWB version of its tracker, dubbed the SmartTag+, but two weeks after the official release date it’s still MIA stateside. While the AirTag is impressively compact, it manages to pack in ultra-wideband (UWB) functionality- an interesting technology in and of itself. The AirTag in X-ray and 360 degrees, via Creative Electron (For a more complete view, check out this amazing 360-degree animated spin.) The other trackers seem sprawling by comparison-and they don’t even include magnets (keep reading to learn why).

Speaking of density, the relative darkness of the AirTag is due to a hefty central speaker magnet and its steel battery cover-both fairly opaque to X-rays. AirTags are indeed tiny-about the smallest they can get, judging by the density. X-rays of the Tile Mate, Galaxy SmartTag, Apple AirTag, and not even close to legal tender, via Creative Electron (minus that last one).Īs always, these X-rays have a lot to say.

It goes without saying that Apple has a history of turning essential functions into premium, add-on accessories.īut we’re not just here to size these trackers up-you’re getting a 3-for-1 teardown deal today! First up, let’s look inside from the outside, with the help of Creative Electron’s X-ray skills. Likely spurred by Apple’s penchant for compactness, AirTag literally cuts corners by eliminating the keyring hole (a problem we intend to remedy). The Tile is the thinnest of the bunch, the AirTag about 1.5 times as thick as the Tile, and the SmartTag at least two Tiles high when sideways. About the size of a half-dollar coin, it’s not much larger than the battery that powers it. Of the three, the AirTag’s Mentos-esque puck is the tiniest.

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We snagged the market veteran Tile Mate, plus Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag to judge our AirTag against its competition. Apples to not-Apples Today’s subjects/victims: Tile Mate, Galaxy SmartTag, Apple AirTag, and one U.S. Note: If you already caught Part One of this teardown, scroll down to “ Don’t get bored, we’ve got boards” for the new additions. Welcome, AirTag! With the entire iPhone network at its back and a truly user-replaceable battery-the first in any Apple product in years-we’re interested to see how AirTags track against tried-and-tested tech. The long-rumored, tiniest Apple product (that isn’t a dongle) is finally here.

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