Specifications: Price: $29 or 4 for $99 | Battery life: 1 year | Real-time tracking: No | Monthly spending: No | Connection: Bluetooth, Apple’s Find Network
Apple’s AirTags are a quarter the size, and there are tons of accessories you can use to attach a small tracker to your jacket or backpack — or you can even slip it into your pocket. There are no monthly fees and the battery lasts about a year — after that you can replace the CR2032 battery.
Apple has tried to make it clear that AirTags aren’t meant to track pets or kids, but it’s natural to be curious: How well can AirTag track your kids? In general, AirTag works well. The problem is that AirTag requires another Apple device to be nearby and connected to the internet in order for its location to be shared with Apple’s Find My network.
Read reviews: Apple AirTags review: Tile can’t compete with Apple’s Find My network
For example, tracking young children on a school bus requires someone — most likely another student or the bus driver — on the bus to have a mobile iPhone or Apple Watch. If there are no Apple devices on the bus, the location cannot be updated.
Another potential downside to AirTags is that you need another Apple device to see the location. That means you’ll need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch for the initial setup, and you can then use your Mac to view the AirTag’s location. If you use a Windows or Android device, AirTags won’t work for you.
AirTag is better suited for tracking a lost backpack, key, or other random object that you can be patient (somewhat) in tracking. AirTag is arguably the best tracking tool out there for items. But for tracking a child, there are better options.
