Apple's Rumored Tile Competitor 'AirTag' May Have Removable Coin-Shaped Battery Like the Tile Pro

MacRumors has learned that "AirTag" is likely the marketing name of Apple's rumored Tile-like item tracking tags, which will help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as their keys, wallets, and backpacks. This name was initially uncovered in iOS 13.2 code, but it was unclear if it was a placeholder until now.

We've also learned that the tags will likely feature a removable CR2032 coin cell battery like the Tile Pro. Based on a prototype of the tag, removing and replacing the battery will require unscrewing the back cover and performing a counter-clockwise twisting motion. The new battery must be inserted with the plus sign facing up.

airtag cr2032 battery
CR2032 batteries are not intended to be recharged and need to be replaced over time — for example, the Tile Pro's battery lasts around one year. Users will be required to pull a tab on the AirTag to activate the battery, and then bring the tag near a device like an iPhone or iPad to initiate the pairing process.

The above information is based on a prototype of the AirTag, so the final plans could vary. Last month, for example, it was rumored that the tags will feature magnetic charging similar to the Apple Watch, but that would require a rechargeable battery.

MacRumors uncovered evidence of AirTags within iOS 13 code last year. The tags will be closely integrated with the new Find My app, which will be getting an "Items" tab. Users will receive a notification when they are separated from a tagged item, and if necessary, they can set an AirTag to start making sounds to help locate the lost item.

A few months ago, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple plans to launch the tags within the first half of 2020, although it is unclear if the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak will change that timeframe. Kuo expects the tags to support Ultra Wideband like iPhone 11 models, likely allowing users to find tagged items with greater accuracy than Bluetooth LE or Wi-Fi.

Popular Stories

apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

iOS 19 to Have Some of the 'Biggest' Design Changes in iPhone's History

Sunday March 16, 2025 10:35 am PDT by
Apple is planning some of the "biggest iOS and macOS redesigns in its history," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman reiterated that iOS 19 will have a visionOS-like design with more transparent interfaces:The new interfaces will adopt the design principles introduced in visionOS, the software for Apple's Vision Pro headset. That includes greater...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Monday March 17, 2025 6:42 am PDT by
In an investor research note today with British bank Barclays, analyst Tim Long said Apple's first foldable iPhone could have a starting price in the $2,300 range in the United States, which would make it by far the most expensive iPhone model ever. If the first foldable iPhone starts at $2,299, that means it would cost nearly twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which starts at $1,199. ...
Bent iPhone Air Feature

Apple Canned Larger iPhone 17 Air Model Over Fears of Bendgate 2.0

Monday March 17, 2025 4:07 am PDT by
Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending, according to a new report. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, writing in his latest Power On newsletter: When it first started work on the phone, it prototyped a device with a 6.9-inch screen — matching...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...
iphone 16 pro models 1

All Four iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Upgraded 24-Megapixel Front Camera and More

Monday March 17, 2025 7:50 pm PDT by
All four iPhone 17 models launching later this year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to analyst Jeff Pu. In a research note today with investment firm GF Securities, Pu shared a chart in which he reiterated that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera. By comparison, all four ...
General iOS Mail Feature

iOS 18.3.2 Broke iCloud Mail Delivery

Monday March 17, 2025 3:31 pm PDT by
The iOS 18.3.2 update that Apple released last week appears to have broken iCloud Mail for some users. There are multiple complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums from users who say that iCloud Mail is not able to push new iCloud emails to their iPhones after the iOS 18.3.2 update. Affected users say that despite having the correct settings enabled, new iCloud emails are not showing up...

Top Rated Comments

nicho Avatar
66 months ago

Wasn’t there a rumor on here a month or two ago that they would wireless charge?
Yes but when it may have a CR2032 battery and it may wirelessly charge, you're covering all bases like a pro analyst.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
66 months ago

will be interesting to see if all a thief has to do to make the AirTag un-trackable is to remove the battery, but, at the same time apple has also made it locked to an iCloud account so that when/if a battery is re-inserted it can't be simply used by a different iCloud account until its wiped by the original iCloud account owner.
Um. If the criminal wants to make it untrackable, why remove the battery instead of, I dunno, flushing the tracker down a toilet?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calzon65 Avatar
66 months ago
I have so many items I need to charge, a traditional battery is welcome to me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SnarkyBear Avatar
66 months ago
it will have a proprietary battery size, and will require a special screwdriver to access the battery slot.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jpn Avatar
66 months ago

Special screwdrivers are a pretty poor security method.
humor, especially sarcasm, does not travel very well.
s/he was making a comment about apple.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
66 months ago

I don’t see why not.
Because he doesn’t have a cat!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)