Apple AirTags 2 tipped as sales impress

Apple is likely to develop a follow-up version of its AIrTag location tracker, according to seasoned industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Apple AirTag review: I once was lost, but now am found

Kuo has outlined the fact that shipment numbers for AirTags should reach around 35 million across 2022, and says that if this level of take-up continues then he expects Apple to make a second generation.

AirTag, which has not received much attention, has gradually grown in shipments since its release. Shipment estimations of AirTag reach about 20 mn & 35 mn units in 2021 & 2022, respectively. If AirTag shipments continue to grow, I believe Apple will develop the 2nd generation.

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 19, 2022

He doesn’t cite a source on that assertion, but Kuo’s radar for Apple development trends is a reliable one, albeit with timelines that are harder to pin down.

This begs the question of what Apple would add or improve in a second-generation AirTag – and there are a fair few options on that front.

One classic approach would be to try to shrink the overall size further, but we suspect the AirTag is already a pretty good size in Apple’s mind.

Rather, new tech like an altimeter that could help it detect its elevation could instead offer real power-ups to the tracker’s primary use cases. Similarly, a louder speaker to help you find it when you’re really nearby would also be welcome based on our testing.