Australian Retailer Pulls AirTags From Shelves Over Child Safety Concerns

One of the main criticisms about Apple’s products is that the batteries used in these products tend to be fixed, meaning that to replace them would be difficult and not as easy as swapping them out for a new one. However, to everyone’s surprise, Apple’s AirTags actually comes with a removable battery and also uses a battery you can easily buy in stores.

However, it turns out that Apple’s decision to make the battery removable has led to some controversy, namely child safety concerns. According to a report from Gizmodo, it seems that Australian retailer Officeworks has pulled the AirTags off their shelves. While the company did not state the reason why, comments made in the r/Australia subreddit claim that it is due to child safety concerns.

The retailer later confirmed that the accessory has since been removed, but did not state a reason why. Instead, they said that they are waiting on guidance from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Apple has also since responded to the concerns by saying that the AirTags were designed to meet international child safety standards.

According to the statement, “AirTag is designed to meet international child safety standards, including those in Australia, by requiring a two step push-and-turn mechanism to access the user-replaceable battery. We are following the regulations closely and are working to ensure that our products will meet or exceed new standards, including those for package labelling, well ahead of the timeline required.”

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Gadgets
Tags: airtags