Apple's Rumored Tile-Like Bluetooth Tracker May Be Called 'AirTag'

Apple is rumored to be working on Tile-like Bluetooth trackers that can be used to keep track of items that are often lost, such as keys, wallets, and more.

Hints of the Bluetooth tags have been seen multiple times in prior iOS 13 updates, and iOS 13.2 adds another piece of the puzzle - Apple could call the accessory "AirTags."

The name was spotted in today's iOS 13.2 release by 9to5Mac. A folder in the iOS 13.2 filesystem uses the "AirTag" name. There's also a "BatterySwap" video asset in today's update, which suggests the ‌AirTags‌ will have batteries that can be swapped out.

Multiple rumors have confirmed Apple's work on ‌AirTags‌, which are expected, based on leaked assets, to be little round circles that can be attached to your items to make them locatable through the Find My app right alongside your Apple devices.

‌AirTags‌ will connect to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and more via Bluetooth, and will leverage the ultra-wideband U1 chip in the newest iPhones for more precise indoor tracking that's unmatched by competitors.

As we found earlier this year, there will also be an augmented reality component that will let you use your device's camera to pinpoint exactly where a lost item might be. Longer-range tracking will also be available, and ‌AirTags‌ will likely take advantage of the offline crowd-sourced tracking feature that was added in iOS 13.

There is no word on when ‌AirTags‌ will be released, but given that Apple has been adding new details to each beta, there's a possibility that the accessories are coming this year, perhaps even quite soon.