One of the best reason to apply an iPhone or other Apple product is the Find My connection . launch over a decade ago alongside iPhone OS 3 , it has grown to become the best fashion to track the location of any of your Apple production .

The growing of the iPhone and the Apple ecosystem as a whole has also spurred a range of additional accessories that stand the Find My web , including the Nomad Wallet posting , which sit in my billfold and ensures I always know where it is .

Almost four years ago , Apple also launched a mathematical product that would shrine the Find My web as a must - have for travelers : the AirTag . Since its launch , the fellowship has sold over 55 million of these small tracker , and having recently add nine to various bag and item of baggage , one thing has become clear : everyone should utilise an AirTag for change of location .

I used Apple ’s AirTag to go after my purse across the existence on a recent trip , but for part of this , I also compare it with the Samsung Galaxy Tag 2 paired with myGalaxy S25 Ultra . The results surprised me ; this is why .

The power of the Find My network

Although Apple ’s Find My electronic web has existed for over a decade , it ’s only recently that there ’s been a conjunct feat from Android contender to ramp up something akin to this . That ’s not to say that there has n’t been an effort previously , but rather it was led by Samsung , who still does n’t have a tracker that support Google ’s vie web .

The achiever of the find oneself My internet is straight touch on to the success of the iPhone and other Apple products . As the iPhone has expanded globally , so has the number of equipment that can briefly communicate the location of your point . give that trillion of Apple devices have been deal globally , there ’s a strong opportunity that you ’re never too far from an Apple product , which in possibility intend that your token will probably always be traceable .

Why the AirTag is key for many travelers

For many yr seasoned travelers have been exalt the benefit of the AirTag for travel , and on a recent slip , I notice on the nose why . I travel at least 150,000 geographical mile per year but I ’ve always rely on airline luggage tracking services to see if my bag had made it on the trajectory or not . Frankly put , most airline business are useless at tracking your bag , but the AirTag makes it effortless .

I had plan to add AirTags to my bags and luggage over a year ago , but my power to drag one’s heels struck again and I forgot . Before kicking off two month of travel ahead ofCES 2025 , I added an AirTag to every grip . Since then , checking the location of my base when I ’m on the plane or have landed at my destination has almost become a faith .

My mum and sister are avid Samsung users and lack an Apple equipment so they ’ve both recently followed my Pb and bribe the Samsung Galaxy Tag 2 . For the retiring two weeks , I ’ve been go with my mum around India and while I wait the AirTag to be significantly better than the Galaxy Tag 2 , the results surprised me . This is what bump .

Which is better depends on which country you’re visiting

The first major difference is the distance at which you’re able to track each token . Although you’re able to only track an AirTag at a distance of 30 base , you ’re almost certainly never more than 30 feet away from an Apple production . It ’s worth observe that only an iPhone , iPad , or iPod Touch course iOS 14.5 or afterwards can track an AirTag but this is still 100 of 1000000 of machine .

It also function virtually anywhere in the world , and manyairlines have start assume AirTag locationsto help go after your baggage when it ’s miss . you may also ping an AirTag so it let loose a strait , although this is far less useful than you might consider in the hustle and bustle of a hotel or an airport . speech sound away , you may also easily cut across the localization of a nearby AirTag as well .

Now . equate this to Samsung ’s approach . On paper , the Galaxy Tag 2 is significantly better than the AirTag . It supports trailing detail at up to 120 m — which is 12 multiplication the distance of the AirTag — and it works with a wide stove of devices . Considering that Samsung is the expectant smartphone maker in the populace , there ’s at least an equal number of equipment that can dog a Galaxy Tag as the AirTag , if not more .

However , in actual practice session , I ’ve found that the performance deviate considerably . In the US , Europe , and the Middle East , I found that the Galaxy Tag outperformed the AirTag in term of reliability and consistency , and the emplacement story feature is something that Apple ’s tracker does n’t have . Yet , while traveling in India , I institute that the Galaxy Tag does n’t do as well , and often takes much longer to be chance than the AirTag .

I still love the AirTag, but the Galaxy Tag 2 surprised me

I expected Apple ’s tracker to surmount the Galaxy Tag 2 , but my testing left me surprised : Samsung ’s Find net is surprisingly racy , and the app has many features that I wish Apple would adopt . In particular , being capable to traverse the localization history of a particular tracker makes it easy to empathize where it ’s been , which can be extremely useful if something is stolen .

Yet , the AirTag will still be my tracker of alternative for one main reason : airline funding . I can track my bags using either of these , but only the AirTag is supported by airlines to help locate your bag when it goes wanting . Airlines have only just begun supporting it — so there ’s a hazard that the Galaxy Tag 2 or even Google trackers will eventually be suffer — but for now , only the AirTag will help when the regretful bump .

Of naturally , you do need an iPhone or iPad to go under up an AirTag for the first time or to manage it thereafter . If you do n’t have a compatible Apple mathematical product , this makes it considerably more challenging so the Galaxy Tag 2 is your good selection if you have a Samsung phone . Failing that , you ’ll want to contain out one of thebest AirTag alternativesbut , much like the early solar day of Android , it ’s still the wild Mae West in terms of compatibility and support . It might just be easy to buy an iPod Touch , an older iPhone , or the newiPhone 16e .