How the Tile tracker works is that it uses Bluetooth to connect and pair with the user’s smartphone, relying on it to locate items and to let users know when an item might be out of range of the smartphone. Now, we’ve heard Apple is working on a similar accessory, but it how does it differentiate from the Tile tracker?
According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, he claims that Apple could one-up the competition and will rely on Ultra-wideband transmissions. This means that in terms of accuracy and distance, Apple’s tracking tags could be better than the Tile. While Bluetooth works, it is said to be slightly more rudimentary compared to what Apple has planned.
This is because Bluetooth largely relies on distance and given that objects can interfere, it does reduce its overall accuracy. Now, this isn’t to say that Tile’s trackers are bad or inferior, it’s just that Apple might have upped the ante by using different technology in its trackers. Apple is also expected to introduce some augmented reality-like features that will better help users locate their items.
There’s no word on when it will be launched, but as Apple’s iPhone event is taking place in the next couple of days, perhaps we’ll learn more about this new tracking accessory then.