@Yan
It would explain why suggesting non-Apple third party ones that do 100% of the functionality and 99.9% of everything else at 1/5th the price gets downvoted.
Although this is the same subreddit that top upvotes ‘get first class’ as the answer to not sleeping on a plane.
@Yan
You will love them. I have them in my suitcases, backpacks, and key rings.
4 of the off-brand FindMyI compatible tags is $28 or less in AliExpress or Amazon any day of the week by just searching ‘findmyi tracker’. Especially if you are still in the ‘are they worth it’ phase, why would you go for the higher upfront cost.
Edit: lol downvotes for saving people money on an item that is literally meant to be put on things you lose.
@Dexter
What’s missing, then, for the price difference - just the branding? Or are there some other limitations?
JamesHenry said:
@Dexter
What’s missing, then, for the price difference - just the branding? Or are there some other limitations?
Most knock-off manufacturers do not use the same electronics as the name brand manufacturers.
@Drew
It works exactly the same. Are we taking ‘organic produce’ logic to electronics now?
Also the manufacturers pay money and need to be of a certain minimum quality to be able to connect to FindMyI network.
https://mfi.apple.com/en/how-it-works.html
Also an AirTag’s core function is to find something that is ‘lost’, i.e., it’s meant to be used on things you may lose, so why the hell would you pay 5x the price when a $7 dollar one covers 100% of the function and 99.9% of everything else.
@Dexter
Do you really think if there is a ‘minimum quality’ that all these devices ‘work exactly the same’?
Drew said:
@Dexter
Do you really think if there is a ‘minimum quality’ that all these devices ‘work exactly the same’?
Apple seems to think so.
https://mfi.apple.com/en/how-it-works.html
they would be the experts. Also I own some of these third-party ones after also having AirTags; spoiler, there is no real difference in functionality between the AirTags I own and the third-party ones.
Do you own any of these third-party trackers or are you speaking out of complete ignorance on these products?
@Dexter
Apple says nothing of the sort.
Do you think Apple doesn’t make sure their products are better than the rest?
Range, battery life, durability are some of the areas a device can ‘work’ but not be as good as Apple products.
You haven’t actually measured anything, you just ‘feel’ they are the same.
Which is fine, you are allowed to have your own feelings.
Do you think Apple doesn’t make sure their products are better than the rest?
goal posts moved. Nowhere did I claim AirTags weren’t the best of the FindMyI tags but they obviously will be the best when they have 5x the price tag.
The $7 third-party ones find your luggage and will last more than a year which I can personally attest to.
Again you never answered: ‘Do you own any of these third-party trackers or are you speaking out of complete ignorance on these products?’
@Dexter
You claimed they work ‘exactly the same’.
I’m glad you find that MFi accessories are good enough for your use.
You just provided no basis for claiming they ‘work exactly the same’.
That’s my point.
(And yes, I use both depending on need).
JamesHenry said:
@Dexter
What’s missing, then, for the price difference - just the branding? Or are there some other limitations?
branding and in some cases non-replaceable batteries.
I really don’t care for them. Tracking your bag means nothing. If the bag is left behind, there’s nothing the tag or you can do about it. Or if it does make it to your destination and it’s trapped in the baggage handling process, you can’t do anything about it.
I’d rather throw that money at a credit card that offers insurance for lost/delayed bags so when it does happen, I can buy clothes instead of just looking at a map with the location of my bag.
@Devon
Before Apple started letting users beam tag information to the airlines, I could buy this argument. (I’d disagree as I found value in it just for being able to find the stuff in a crowded international baggage claim, but I know everyone values that differently.)
But now: AirTag users will soon be able to share location with airlines - CBS News
@Eli
I understand if your bag was removed from the belt and placed in a pile with 500+ bags and you need to locate it, it may be helpful.
However, if the bag does not make it or it does and it’s stuck in baggage processing hell, the location of the bag does not help you. You still don’t have your bag. You can share the location with the airline; they may use this data to get your bag to you but it’s not going to get to you any faster because of the tag. It’s not like you can share the location and they have a person fetch it from wherever it is just for you. There’s been many cases of people having AirTags, airlines say the bag is lost, and the person provides the exact location of the bag and the airline does nothing.
I checked into an Air France flight early once. They took my bag but said it was too early for them to throw it on the belt. Guess what? They never threw it on the belt. Even if I had an AirTag, what could I have done? Shout at the guys loading the bags? Ask a flight attendant? Call up AF baggage department? An AirTag would have given me better visibility but the airlines are not going to do anything different because of them.
I’d love to be proven wrong with some success stories but I’d personally like to be prepared for when the airline does lose/delay my bag so I can buy clothes and anything else I need with insurance money.
@Devon
>There’s been many cases of people having AirTags, airline says the bag is lost. Person provides the exact location of the bag and the airline does nothing.
…from before this feature rolled out.
Not saying it’s a panacea; might still trigger the delayed bag benefits on your credit card, but it’s undeniably another line of defense against loss.
@Eli
Nothing really changes though. Airlines are just providing a way for travelers to share information. It’s no different than me sharing it electronically via the Apple ecosystem or giving the airline the information in person or over the phone.
@Devon
Totally agree. If your bag is lost or stolen it’s not like you are going to get it back anyways. Are you planning on going through the airport warehouse to find your lost bag? Or are you planning on visiting the apartment complex where your stolen bag is? No.
But it’s still nice to have, and I do use one AirTag 
.
@Vail
Well yes, that’s exactly what you do…
In August of 2023, my wife and I went to Edinburgh. One bag went to Edinburgh, one went to Glasgow because, well, Heathrow and BA suck… Both bags were delayed by two days.
I emailed the pic of the tag location and a pic of the bag to the baggage manager at Glasgow. He tracked it down for us and a friend of mine got it to us the next day.
Edinburgh was a bit more difficult. While we were in Edinburgh, the bag was in with about 10,000 other bags because it was the Fringe festival. I went to the airport, showed them my bag pic (lesson here kids: don’t have a basic black bag; mine was a green hiking bag, easy to find) and I set off the alarm on the tag. He went to look. He still couldn’t find it but at least it gave us options.
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