Just days after Apple’s AirTag 2 arrived on store shelves, a detailed teardown has already surfaced, offering a closer look at what’s new inside Apple’s latest pocket-sized tracker—and what hasn’t changed.
One of the biggest takeaways is that AirTag 2 still isn’t truly “tamper-proof.” Despite ongoing concerns about unwanted tracking and attempts by bad actors to modify trackers, the internal speaker can still be disabled without breaking the tracker’s core functionality. According to the teardown, the simplest non-destructive method would be to remove the speaker’s two wires using a soldering iron, effectively silencing the AirTag while keeping it operational.
Beyond that controversial point, the teardown also confirms meaningful hardware upgrades. AirTag 2 includes an updated system-on-chip and, importantly, Apple’s newer U2 Ultra Wideband chip. That U2 chip is the same next-generation Ultra Wideband tech used in several of Apple’s newest devices, and it plays a major role in improving how accurately and easily you can locate misplaced items.
Apple’s AirTag 2 improvements don’t stop at Ultra Wideband. The tracker also features an upgraded Bluetooth chip designed to extend the effective range for finding items. Combined with Apple’s Precision Finding system, AirTag 2 can guide users using haptic, visual, and audio prompts from up to 50 percent farther away than the previous model. To use this improved Precision Finding experience, you’ll need an iPhone 15 or newer, with the exception that it doesn’t support the iPhone 16e.
Apple has also expanded Precision Finding to the Apple Watch. With an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or an Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, users can locate an AirTag 2 directly from their wrist. This capability requires watchOS 26.2.1 and only works with the newer AirTag—older AirTags don’t support the watch-based Precision Finding feature.
Another change many buyers will appreciate is loudness. Apple says AirTag 2 is 50 percent louder than the prior generation, making it easier to hear when it’s nearby. In practical terms, Apple claims the audio can be heard from up to twice the distance compared to the original model, which could make a real difference when you’re searching under couch cushions, in a car, or in a crowded room.
On the safety front, Apple reiterates that the AirTag is meant to track objects—not people or pets. The company says AirTag 2 includes new, “industry-first” protections to reduce unwanted tracking, including cross-platform alerts and Bluetooth identifiers that change frequently.
Pricing remains unchanged. AirTag 2 still starts at $29, with a four-pack available for $99—keeping it positioned as one of the more affordable ways to add item tracking to keys, bags, luggage, and other valuables within Apple’s ecosystem.
