Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products.

AirTag 2 Mock Feature
Here's what's supposedly coming:

  • An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. ‌AirTag‌ pairing is already fairly simple, but there's room for improvement with the naming and emoji selection.
  • Detailed battery level reporting.
  • An "Improved Moving" feature that Macworld speculates will allow users to find the precise location of an ‌AirTag‌ when it's moving. Precision Finding in the current ‌AirTag‌ can't handle movement well.
  • A feature for improving tracking in crowded places.

We've been hearing rumors about a new version of the ‌AirTag‌ for years now, and it's supposedly getting upgraded tracking with a new Ultra Wideband chip. The new chip will improve Precision Finding range, and it could also add these new tracking capabilities.

So far, there have been no rumors of a redesign, so the ‌AirTag‌ 2 will presumably look like the original ‌AirTag‌. It will continue to feature a replaceable battery, though it could also get upgraded speakers that are harder to remove.

The ‌AirTag‌ is apparently labeled "2025AirTag" in the ‌iOS 26‌ code, which suggests that Apple might have been planning to release it in 2025. At this point, it's not clear when it will launch, but it's looking like we might get it in early 2026.

Macworld also spotted signs of the next-generation HomePod mini with S10 chip, a smarter version of Siri, and references to the home hub device that Apple is working on. We've previously seen extensive rumors about all of these products, and rumors suggest we'll see them around the March or April timeframe.

Related Roundups: AirTag, iOS 26, iPadOS 26
Buyer's Guide: AirTag (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iOS 26

Popular Stories

iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Wednesday March 18, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another six months or so, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component...
ios 26 4 yellow

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for iOS 26.4

Wednesday March 18, 2026 11:56 am PDT by
Apple provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, which means we're going to see a public launch as soon as next week. The RC versions of the software include Apple's official release notes, giving us final details on what's included in the update. Apple Music - Playlist Playground (beta) generates a playlist from your...
Apple Logo Sketch Feature

Apple Has Now Unveiled Eight New Products This Month

Tuesday March 17, 2026 9:25 am PDT by
Apple has unveiled a whopping eight new products so far this March, including an iPhone 17e, iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the all-new MacBook Neo, an updated Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, and now the AirPods Max 2 this week. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as the iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

alexandr Avatar
14 weeks ago

Would like Apple to have a BUILT-IN battery 🔋

We would all prefer MagSafe chargering
I wouldn't — it would never last nearly as long as it does now. Some of the AirTags I have are mounted and attached in various places, I'd rather not pull them out every couple of weeks.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
14 weeks ago
They should make a credit card-sized version already. Or allow third-party manufacturers to implement precision finding.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A.W.. Avatar
14 weeks ago
Looking forward to the release
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A.W.. Avatar
14 weeks ago

Would like Apple to have a BUILT-IN battery 🔋

We would all prefer MagSafe chargering
But then you would have to throw it when the battery is out of life. It's very big problem with the Apple Pencil
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alan-in-CO Avatar
14 weeks ago

I wouldn't — it would never last nearly as long as it does now. Some of the AirTags I have are mounted and attached in various places, I'd rather not pull them out every couple of weeks.
Agree. I have some in very hard places to get to. A company called ElevationLab makes a multi-year battery case that looks interesting. I have nothing to do with the company, but I have purchased some of their other AirTag cases over the years and have been very happy with them.

5-year AirTag battery case ('https://www.elevationlab.com/products/airtag-compact-battery?mc_cid=05e876753f&mc_eid=517a8cd77a')
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MakaniKai Avatar
14 weeks ago
It’s unsurprising that the updates are minimal. The current AirTag is absolutely fantastic. They created a nearly perfect tracker right from the start imo. I love my AirTags and put them on around 16 items so far. I guess my wishlist would basically be longer range, louder speaker, and improved ability to tell me how far above/below me it is, not just how far distance wise (so I know if I left something upstairs or downstairs).
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)