Apple AirTag Leather Key Ring – what will a second-gen AirTag look like?
Apple AirTag is a tiny tracking device which, it seems, has been something of a sleeper hit for the company. So much so that the highly respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that an all-new, second-generation tracker device is likely in the works.
In his latest tweet, Ming-Chi Kuo for TFI Securities, said: “AirTag, which has not received much attention, has gradually grown in shipments since its release. Shipment estimations of AirTag reach about 20 mn & 35 mn units in 2021 & 2022, respectively. If AirTag shipments continue to grow, I believe Apple will develop the 2nd generation.”
Kuo doesn’t give any other indications of what might be forthcoming, but the prospect of an updated, upgraded AirTag is an intriguing one.
AirTag 2, not that it would be called that, could offer new features and address the current issue affecting the device: privacy.
Although there have been firmware updates to help prevent people from using the AirTag to stalk others, these could be expanded in all-new hardware.
This in turn could offer a new design, perhaps smaller but with the same battery life that runs more than a year, or louder to make it easier to find, say.
Apple could even build in notches, holes or other extras to make the AirTag easier to attach to your luggage, though personally I think any revised design would still require an accessory in most circumstances. Not least, the customization the current design permits with straps, pouches and more, seems to add to the AirTag’s appeal.
The sales figures seem to have been bigger than some analysts predicted and so mean a second-gen model may be on the cards.
Though, let’s be clear, Apple will have had updates and improvements in mind for a long time, hoping that a new version will be justified. Now, it seems, that prospect has become more likely.
