Fast forward to this week when Apple dropped off the AirTag for review and the multiple possibilities finally dawned on me. Although Apple stresses that the AirTag is not meant for tracking pets and people, especially without permission in the case of the latter, you can bet that pet owners will be adorning their pets with an AirTag.

About a year ago, a good friend of mine was taking her two cats to her brother’s flat because she was going to be out of town. In the car park, one of the anxious felines struggled free and leapt away into the dark.

My friend was frantic but the car park was huge and she didn’t know where to even start looking. After an hour’s search with her brother’s family, she had to accept defeat and call an animal psychic. Long story short, another hour later, she found her shivering kitten hiding on top of the tyre of a nearby car. Now, looking at the tiny AirTag lying on my desk, I can’t help but think how much angst would have been saved had the little thing had one of them on his collar, whatever Apple says about its intentions.

The stainless steel side with the Apple logo scratches quite easily. The other side is made of plastic. By twisting and turning the steel plate, you can pop it open to reveal the CR2032 battery inside. Apple says the battery lasts a year, though CR2032s are also easily found and replaced. The device is rated IP67 for water and dust resistance and can safely be submerged up to one metre for up to 30 minutes.

I’m sure there won’t be a lack of brands hopping on the bandwagon alongside Hermès: unlike the regular changes to iPhone sizes and designs, the AirTags are pretty standard and most people will likely get the pack of four (US$99) and are going to need a lot of cases.

The AirTags are incredibly easy to use, although you will need an iPhone with the latest iOS 14.5, which dropped on April 27. Like all Apple products, the AirTag connects seamlessly: after unboxing, you just pull off the plastic covering to complete the battery connection and a window pops up on your iPhone instantly asking you to connect, register and name the device and, voila, you’re ready to tag your valuables.

Like other Apple devices, the AirTag works with the Find My app by sending out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices on the Find My network. These pings send the location of the AirTag to iCloud which you can access on the app. Apple is quick to reassure that this data is anonymous and encrypted, meaning even Apple doesn’t know where the device is or who the other devices on the network are.

 There are settings for making the AirTag emit beeps on the built-in speaker. So for instance, if your keys have fallen under your couch, you can make it beep so that you can follow the sound until you find them. You can also use it with Siri.

I love the Precision Finding, which uses ultra-wideband and is only compatible with iPhone 11 and 12 models. The function allows the phone to show how far away the item is and, as you walk towards it, points which direction to turn until you find the item.

Like other devices tracked by the Find My app, the AirTag can be put into Lost Mode so that if another device discovers it, you will get a notification. Or if someone with an NFC-enabled device (including Android devices) finds your AirTag, they can read the contact information you have entered. Each AirTag is locked to the registered owner so it can’t be reused even if someone else finds or steals it.

The AirTag is a neat little toy/gadget and is definitely useful if you’re the sort to misplace your belongings regularly. But other very practical uses offer themselves. In countries where theft or petty crimes is rampant, it would probably increase your chances of recovering your belongings. One day, when Apple are able to balance the technology with privacy issues, it perhaps could be used for dementia patients with a tendency to wander off to bring peace of mind to many families.

As mentioned, Apple does not intend the AirTag to be used to track people, so if you’re thinking of slipping one into the bag of your errant teenager (or spouse!), don’t. Alerts are triggered when a device is separated from the owner. That of course means you don’t have to worry about someone trying to stalk you with an AirTag either. Your iPhone will detect that a foreign AirTag is travelling with you and send you an alert. If you still can’t find it, it will start playing a sound to let you know where it is.

Do you need an AirTag? It’s probably not a necessity unless you have expensive items you need to keep tabs on, but it’s a fun and harmless accessory with practical uses. And, in a rarity for Apple, it comes at a very affordable price.

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