Apple certainly seems to have taken location tags to a new level with the security and privacy features, as well as built-in speaker. The biggest plus though is that they can leverage off an almost global presence of iPhones constantly moving around, unlike all other trackers which rely on others having installed the specific application.
Apple said AirTag keeps location data private and secure. No location data or history is stored inside the accessory, and communication with the Find My network is end-to-end encrypted. Apple said AirTag has also been design with a set of proactive features that discourage unwanted tracking.
This could likely change the game a bit for location trackers as 3rd party tags can also make use of the network. But it is not at all cheap at $29 each or $99 for a pack on 4.
See Apple announces AirTag for finding your lost items, launches April 30
After months — no, years — of rumors, Apple has finally unveiled AirTag. The location tracking puck is designed to help find lost devices.