The tracking tags like Apple's AirTag or Samsung's SmartTag have become a necessary item for people flying abroad and afraid that the airline will lose their luggage. In the summer of 2022 when the airports suffered from congestion and luggage disappeared constantly, the tracking tags had their great success, when they were stolen from the stores and shortages were recorded on the networks.
Apple and Samsung launched their tags in 2021, but they weren't the first, manufacturers like Chipolo or Tile tried for years to make this technology popular, but with limited success. The reason for this is that for the search tag to work optimally, it needs a lot of users.
A brief explanation of the tracking technology of the tracking tag manufacturers. Samsung and Apple operate in roughly the same way, all their smartphones become tracking devices (each for its customers), as soon as you lose the Samsung tag (or Apple's) it will communicate via Bluetooth with smartphones that pass by it, so you enter the tag's application and look at the map , you can find it, even though it does not include a GPS device or a cellular connection. The idea sounds simple, but the technology manufacturers who launched their products before the giants from the USA and South Korea, could not have reached such a large number of users.
The Galaxy SmartTag 2 is the third model that Samsung is launching (after the first generation SmartTag and the SmartTag Plus). Samsung has worked on several improvements and design changes to make this item more efficient to use. It is still a product that can only work with Samsung smartphones, so if you have an Android smartphone from another company, you will have to purchase a tag from the smaller manufacturers.
Still maintains the design edge
One of the advantages in the design of the SmartTag compared to the AirTag is the slot, which allows it to be easily attached to a key ring. Apple should purchase a cover that will allow this, because there is simply no hole in the product. Samsung kept the notch on the SmartTag 2 and even made it bigger. The design between the previous generation and the current one is different, when it is now a little more similar to a disc on K. The tag also has protection against water and sand in the IP67 standard, the goal here is not to submerge the tag in the pool, but to attach the tag to a cat or dog and not to be afraid that a little water from the drinking bowl will damage the device.
Find the keys under the couch
To use the tag it is necessary to work with the application - SmartThings (which is also used to control other Samsung smart products). Upon initial activation of the tag, a message immediately pops up on the smartphone offering to connect to it. The app shows all the tags the user has, including the names he gave them (car keys, backpack, suitcase, etc.). If the tag is nearby, you can command it to ring (the ringing is not very loud) or use the navigator option.
This feature uses a technology called UWB that allows you to locate things nearby (even in closed places) and it directs the location of the tag with an arrow. In the new tag, Samsung improved the compass. For the use of this feature, a Samsung smartphone that supports UWB is needed, such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Besides using this feature, you can see the location of the tag on a map. There have already been stories of people finding their stolen bikes or scooters thanks to tags of this type. You can also see the location history of the tag in the app.
When a user loses the tag, he can select the application in a new mode called "Lost", this allows the personal details such as a phone number to be saved on the tag, so that if a person scans it with NFC, he will receive the details in the web browser and be able to return it. Also, this mode will alert the user directly when the tag is located and you can also set an association lock, so it cannot be set for other users.
Iproved battery time
Although the SmartTag models use a simple CR2032 button cell battery, it is still inconvenient to replace the battery every time. The new model offers a 50% improvement in battery compared to previous models, it is about 500 working days. There is also a battery saving mode, which extends the usage time to 700 days.
Price: NIS 150 per unit or NIS 400 for a package of 4 units
Bottom line, in my opinion the tracking tags (whether from Samsung or Apple) have become a must-have item when traveling abroad with a suitcase or holding a bicycle/electric scooter. The tag allows a bit of peace of mind, because it allows us to know where our important object is at all times. The Galaxy SmartTag 2 manages to improve a product that already worked well, mainly thanks to a longer battery life and improved protection against water.