Pixel Tag: Google takes on AirTag
Google will be announcing more than just the Pixel 11 series on August 12. A new product is also expected: the Pixel Tag. This will be the first time Google has released its own Bluetooth tracker, and expectations are high.
Bluetooth trackers, affectionately known as key finders, are nothing new. You attach them to your keychain, your bag, or other items you don’t want to lose. Ever since Apple released the AirTag, its reach has suddenly expanded significantly. You no longer need to be near the tracker to locate it—every iPhone in the world is looking out for you.
Google also has a similar network in the form of Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) that trackers such as the Motorola Moto Tag 2 and Xiaomi Tag use. Strangely enough, Google's own tracker was missing, but not for much longer. That’s because, at the Made by Google event on August 12, the Pixel Tag is expected alongside the Pixel 11.
Leaked renders published by 9to5Google show a pill-shaped tracker with an LED light. The silver-colored casing will likely be named Fog Light. Just like the AirTag, there’s no loop to easily attach it to your keychain. Apple likes to sell separate accessories to achieve that, and Google may well take the same approach.
Will Pixel Tag Get UWB?
The biggest question remains unanswered for now: will the Pixel Tag feature ultra-wideband (UWB)? Thanks to this technology, an AirTag uses an on-screen arrow to guide you to your lost items with centimeter-level precision. The leaked product information currently shows no sign of UWB, reports TechTimes, while the Moto Tag from competitor Motorola does feature this technology. Without UWB, Google will soon be competing mainly with basic Bluetooth trackers rather than Apple’s latest. According to the same source, the tracker does, however, include a built-in speaker to make it beep.
Price: About as Expensive as AirTag
The price of the Google Pixel Tag has also been leaked: €34.90, according to Dealabs. This puts Google in direct competition with the AirTag 2 priced at €35. The first-generation AirTag is also still available and has been regularly sold at a significant discount since the arrival of its successor.
Incidentally, no one has to choose between the two: trackers are tied to their own ecosystems. The real competition for the Pixel Tag, therefore, doesn’t come from Apple, but from trackers like the Moto Tag 2 and Xiaomi Tag on the same Find Hub network.
Image: 9to5google
