One of my favorite features of the Apple Watch is that beeper for your iPhone that doesn’t care that it’s on vibrate or even DND
Edit: I wasn’t implying this is an Apple exclusive feature, that’s just the world experience I’m speaking from. I realize many other smart watches have this feature. Besides sleep tracking, it’s probably my favorite feature
Find my iPhone has saved me sooooo many times it's embarrassing.
I liked the old Tiles because you could ring your phone instantly and vice versa. Air Tag doesn't let you instantly ring like that and won't make any sound until you or another device gets super close, like a few feet away.
I should invest in more .. my household all switched to air tags but they are subpar in that regard.
The difffence, though, and argument in favor of Air Tags, is that a lot more people are going to have Apple products nearby than another Tile.
As far as I know, the Tile requires another Tile being in its presence to ping. If they updated it and somehow include all Androids or more devices, that would be great, but otherwise they can be less effective when something is truly lost or stolen.
Tile is far superior though when it comes to key finding!
I'm guessing air tags can't use that same tech yet because of a patent or something? Otherwise why wouldn't they let air tags ring phones directly.
It's not an "issue" per se, it's just the tech works differently.
Air tags only make noise when you are in close proximity (a few feet may be an under exaggeration, but it won't make noise unless it's within 15-17 feet at its farthest range). That's just how it works; someone with an Apple device has to be nearby or pass nearby.
Same for the Tile when using its Bluetooth GPS feature, it has to be near other Tile users.
What I was saying is that the Tile also has another option that Apple's air tag doesn't do -- you can make your phone or keys etc ring instantly no matter where they are just by pressing a button on the Tile. Air Tag doesn't have that. And vice versa, you can make the Tile ring (eg ring my keys instantly) just by pressing a button on your phone.
You can make the beeping noise using Find my Phone instead so maybe that's why Apple didn't feel the need to add the feature, presuming it's not patented. But having to find another device or computer etc to log onto Find My is not as efficient/quick as pressing a physical button.
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u/Prize_Ostrich7605 Aug 14 '26
I lose my phone and have to call it. Usually it is in another dimension.