A 10-Year Battery for AirTag

Nice solution, but the bigger problem is how AirTags can basically be turned off, which makes it poor for many use cases.

Of course, I get it from Apple's perspective, they dont want AirTags to be used to tail others. However, that precludes it from being used for theft tracking.

For example, I use an AirTag on my bicycle. If someone steals the bicycle, they are literally informed "an air tag is following you" https://support.apple.com/en-us/119874

There are a lot of things I'd love to put long-term AirTags on (luggage, snow-blower, childrens' backpacks) but if theft isnt really deterred, then the case for a bulkier AirTag is quite reduced.

Theft-tracking is sort of an "off-label" use for AirTags, from Apple's perspective.

They'd rather make AirTags less generally useful than make them both more generally useful + open to stalking occurrences and lawsuits.

Agreed on the trade-off. And there are some absolutely 1000% winning use cases (lost cats, lost dogs, lost luggage). However, lets look at the constraints and outcomes:

- Me or other people need to be around (since airtags jump off others' devices)

This removes use cases like tracking lost marine goods, tracking lost drones, etc.

- Item being tracked has to be big enough to be worth the extra size/weight of the long life battery wrapper

This removes most common use cases like wallets, remotes, etc.

- Item being tracked has to be something you actually lose w/o wrongdoing. Makes sense for backpacks, purses, parked cars.

But, most capital equipment wouldnt be "lost" it would be stolen, so that is out.

https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/20-surprisingly-practical...