GUWonder

Switching to Apple because of AirTags doesn't seem like a huge network upgrade. And that's coming from someone who is about as close to an Apple captive as there is.

AirTags isn't going to do much of anything to get masses of Android users to jump ship to Apple. AirTags seem to be just a way for Apple to try to strengthen the walls a bit more around the pre-existing Apple herd so that the Apple-captives may turn out to be a tiny bit more reluctant to make a break for it from Apple than would otherwise already be the case.

I can't foresee AirTags being a big driver in people migrating from Android to iOS. Crowdsourced tracking doesn't have a big market still. And trackers themselves are niche product and will remain such for quite some time even with Apple's marketing clout growing the potential customer base for crowdsourced tracking.

Crowdsourced tracking that combines the network of Android+iOS users can be more effective at crowdsourced tracking than a crowdsourced tracking that relies upon just iOS users. And if we were to say that iOS users are more likely to maximize the privacy settings on the devices than Android users, maybe even that could have consequences on how AirTags vs Tile plays out unless and until AirTags are as useful on Android devices as Tiles are on iOS devices.

djsflynn

Absolutely agree. They could (and probably will) help sway some Android users across to Apple, but those will likely be users who were already on the fence rather than entrenched, who were already at least open to such a move, and this won't be the major driver as much as a contributing factor in reaching that tipping point.

AirTags are definitely more a way to build out the Apple ecosystem, adding greater value (and dare I say smugness?) to being a citizen of AppleLand, while also increasing the pain for leaving AppleLand (as every new device, accessory, service, dongle and adaptor adds to this disincentive factor).

draver

I guess I'm an Apple fanboy with iPhones 11 Pro Max, 12 Pro Max, Watch 6, 3 iPads, 3 TV's, 2 AirPods, 2 AirPod Pro's and now 2 Airtags for the two of us. If there were any Android devices that covered all these bases for the past 5-10 years they would have been considered also.

Apple made sure that every new product worked with their others, and typically enhanced the whole product line. It is not a coincidence this relationship exists and a large reason they have been so successful I believe.

Additionally, their corporate philosophy about privacy and standing behind those principles adds to my belief I made the right choice. Besides the quality of, and support for their devices and customers.

Even their prices are pretty reasonable if you take into consideration the resale value of 1-2 year old Apple products. I upgrade my phone every year. I am generally able to sell my last years model for about 70% of the new model price, and I get a 10% VET discount on new purchases. I don't see Samsung doing that, but maybe I didn't look hard enough. I only paid $22.25 per Airtag with the discount.

draver

This might surprise a few here that just read my last post above. I just ordered 2 Tile Pro Trackers from Costco to test and hopefully use in conjunction with my new Airtags. I have been reading a lot of reviews of the Tile Pro devices and the Bluetooth range seems to be in the range of 150-400 feet, or roughly 3 to 10X what Airtags seem to provide. My primary intended use for any tracker is to locate and find my luggage while traveling. My vision of this is with both trackers working, my short and long range potential will be enhanced substantially.

Currently, Costco sells a 2 pack of the Tile Pro model for $49.99 inc. free shipping, so the cost is similar to the Airtag, and if anyone is interested in a 4 pack, Amazon currently has that bundle priced at $89.99 on Prime.

LIH Prem

(bolding mine)

How does he know that?

-David

Need

I think the Tile app tells you the number of users near by. I don't think the entire London has 5000 users. Probably just the part of London where he is located.

GUWonder

Trackers of this sort are intended to be used for airline luggage at airports? I was pretty sure that Tile said they weren't intended to be used for luggage tracking. Has Apple said the same thing for AirTags?

LugLoc Smart Luggage Location Tracker and Trakdot Luggage Tracker are marketed as being for luggage tracking, but they have their own kind of issues too when it comes to airport/airline luggage tracking.

Forbes had some kind of coverage about this stuff being used for luggage:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-...h=6e386885533a

The Tile app does indeed provide a number. It says: "There are [number] Tile Members near you in [name of location]."

I don't know how reliable any of the app-noted Tile Members numbers are, but if separating across all of the London and assembling the numbers at the per capita rate seen in the Upper Midwest and Scandinavia, then together the total number of Tile Members for London would perhaps add up to be no less than about 25k-55k. With TilePro, it doesn't take a whole lot of members to be in an area for the owner to be able to scope onto a lost set of keys with a TilePro or a forgotten backpack.

With say even just 100 members in a 20 square mile area within an hour during the day, it's very easy to narrow in on the location for recovery when dealing with stuff that is remaining stationary on the open ground or in the above ground sections of a standard single-family home/townhouse.

draver

The Tile website has a page that is a general map of where Tile users may be present. I don't see a way to zoom in, so it's not that useful for localized detail, however it will give a rough idea of where you may expect crowd sourced networks. Link:

https://www.thetileapp.com/maps

Need

Well let us know how your luggage tracking goes with the AirTag and Tile. I wonder if you turn on Lost Mode for the AirTag after you board the plane waiting for take off, would the iPhones of all the passengers on the plane be able to tell you that your luggage is on the plane instead of still at the terminal? The same goes for the Tile. Would your Tile app and potential other passengers Tile app would be able to tell you the luggage is within 400 feet? Or would the floor of the plane block all the Bluetooth signal?

draver

I'm not too sure about the aircraft Find My for either device. I suspect that I could just walk down the aisle, (Back In Steerage, Where I Fly) with the apps open and see if they reply. I think my proposed setup may give me the best of both worlds. Airtag has broader Host base for location, Title has greater local range and volume for alerts. Also, Airtag seems to provide a longer range local search for the final location. Or, it may not work as I hope and I will get a refund or repurpose these for other tasks. I'll report my initial test results in this thread as they develop.

GUWonder

https://9to5mac.com/2021/05/03/airta...ecked-baggage/

I am surprised about the review's claim about "objects that are moving" tracking with AirTags. Objects that are moving at least out in open-air landscapes seems to be one of the strengths of TilePro, but a lot of that is due to the range of the TilePro.

9to5mac got the review from this: https://www.loopinsight.com/2021/05/...ecked-luggage/

draver

Copy & Paste from the Tile website:

"Fun fact- your Tile can usually connect to your phone through the floor of the plane - perfect for checked baggage. This can help determine if your luggage made your connecting flight."

Seems like they have no problem with using them for that.

GUWonder

Here's a review comparing Tile to AirTags:

https://www.tomsguide.com/news/airtag-vs-tile

Sounds like they want to be many or all things tracker despite what they have said before. At some future point, this will probably turn out to remind me of what Apple has said and will say about AirTags use.

Tim Cook is full in on the strategy of making Apple customers "Apple only". AirTags is part of that strategy.

draver

Just like Ford, Coke, Amazon, etc. That's exactly what I would do, it's called "Business". Apple builds products then sells the sizzle. People buy them because they see them as superior to other similar products. Remember, they built the first iPhone that had to compete with many established cell phone companies like Nokia, Motorola, etc. They just did that better also. This is nothing new for Apple.

LIH Prem

Right, here's mine .. it's pretty localized, maybe at most a radius of a few miles?