Bluetooth trackers - Tile vs Apple

B0bbyEwing

Ideally feedback from members who've experienced both. 

I've experienced Tile myself & the Samsung version but not the Apple version.

Obviously Apple extract more money out of you by not making it keyring friendly (initially). I'm aware of that.

Looking at a which to go for and why for an iPhone user. 

Looking at it, the Tile's seem to have increased significantly in size since I bought one. The Pro used to be a nice square but now it looks like a huge rectangle from photos. Maybe in real life it's different but it looks big. 

My only real issue with Tile was I found connectivity a bit questionable at times. That and the annoying notice to change batteries even when batteries were fine. 

PHK

They are different things, as well as being a Bluetooth tracker like Tile. Airtags have a UWB chip which in practice means that they can be found almost anywhere even when in very low power mode. 

(UWB enables a mesh network with other Apple devices, tags and more recent Amazon devices to pinpoint the location.  You also get a much more accurate range which Bluetooth can't do)

Samsung did a similar technology but I think they've stopped selling them. 

flaneurs_lobster

PHK said:

They are different things, as well as being a Bluetooth tracker like Tile. Airtags have a UWB chip which in practice means that they can be found almost anywhere even when in very low power mode. 

(UWB enables a mesh network with other Apple devices, tags and more recent Amazon devices to pinpoint the location.  You also get a much more accurate range which Bluetooth can't do)

Samsung did a similar technology but I think they've stopped selling them. 

Samsung have just released their new tracker Galaxy SmartTag2, does have UWB but think that only works with recent S class Samsung mobiles.

https://www.samsung.com/uk/mobile-accessories/galaxy-smarttag2-white-ei-t5600bwegeu/

B0bbyEwing

flaneurs_lobster said:

PHK said:

They are different things, as well as being a Bluetooth tracker like Tile. Airtags have a UWB chip which in practice means that they can be found almost anywhere even when in very low power mode. 

(UWB enables a mesh network with other Apple devices, tags and more recent Amazon devices to pinpoint the location.  You also get a much more accurate range which Bluetooth can't do)

Samsung did a similar technology but I think they've stopped selling them. 

Samsung have just released their new tracker Galaxy SmartTag2, does have UWB but think that only works with recent S class Samsung mobiles.

https://www.samsung.com/uk/mobile-accessories/galaxy-smarttag2-white-ei-t5600bwegeu/

I have the original smart tag myself. Wasn't aware a second one had come out. 

Don't think I'll be getting it. My only gripe about the smart tag I have is I think it runs through batteries pretty quickly. 

The way things seem to be going, I'm guessing the next smart tag & Tile Pro will be the size of a dinner plate. 

flaneurs_lobster

Not my experience with 5 SmartTags (not the UWB "+" version), getting over a year from supermarket batteries.

B0bbyEwing

flaneurs_lobster said:

Not my experience with 5 SmartTags (not the UWB "+" version), getting over a year from supermarket batteries.

The ones I use are Energizer ones. 

I suppose it depends on what a person deems to be acceptable. What lasts a while to one wont be enough to another. 

B0bbyEwing

@flaneurs_lobster funny that I mentioned that about the batteries because midweek I got a notification that my Samsung SmartTag battery was low.

So I went ahead & replaced it. One of the things I do is just mark the date on batteries when they get changed & the date was 21st September. 

Now while I'm complaining about the battery life, this one actually deteriorated quicker than usual. They usually go quick but this was rapid. It was brand new when I put it in too.

flaneurs_lobster

Odd, am I wrong or are these not completely passive devices - you can't influence their actions or battery consumption, they just sit there and radiate? Why would your Energizers last a couple of months and mine from Morrisons over a year.  
I 
Or is there more battery use if there is constant "handshaking" with a seeking device? Doubt if I've actively gone looking for my devices more than a half-dozen times in the last year (usually to see if luggage has made the plane I'm on). 

B0bbyEwing

Same as you - I'm not 'using' these much. I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times I've had to set off the beeper in the 18 months or so I've had this device. 

I thought it'd be similar to car keys in that it's only really using any juice when you press them but maybe they're constantly seeking & once connected they're constantly showing how far away from your phone they are. I've no idea. 

I've not even come close to 1yrs use out of a battery and due to past experience I only use branded batteries now. 

Maybe I should get some supermarket cheapies.

DullGreyGuy

Had tile... the ability to make it sound is obviously good, see where it was last detected was okish but never had any success with "where it is now" when lost out in the public which is reliant on other tile users having their system setup a certain way and coming in range of the device. 

Havent used the AirTags for as long as tile but the one time one was lost it did continue to update its location based on the random other iPhones etc around it that were broadcasting its location. 

To me AirTags win hands down compared to Tile... Tile would need to increase its user base vastly to be able to have a similar value for something that gets left on a bus/train etc. 

flaneurs_lobster

DullGreyGuy said:

To me AirTags win hands down compared to Tile... Tile would need to increase its user base vastly to be able to have a similar value for something that gets left on a bus/train etc. 

Yes, the fundamentally clever bit of the tracker technology is the shared network of users and the fact that turning on the functionality that allows you to find your lost phone (who wouldn't want this enabled) also allows you to help others find their keys/dog/errant partner. 

This is why they work well for Apple/Samsung users (at least in populated areas) and will probably work well for Android users if/when Google et al get their product to market.