This. It's the "crowd sourcing" of location that is the appeal. Something that only allows me to locate up close is of no use to me. Being able to track my suitcase a continent away was useful.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I don't understand the positive press for Airtags
- Thread starter monstermash
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
From what I've gathered from this thread, you can probably hear a Tile in your suitcase from a continent away.
Right and when you're in the same room with it if you have a newer phone it will direct you exactly how to turn to be facing your object. You could do it without sound.
OP, it sounds like this product simply isn't for you. There are plenty of people who have positive experiences with them (and that's where the positive press comes from). People have recovered forgotten items, tracked luggage, etc.
If Tile works for your needs, that's great, because you found something that works. For (many) others, AirTags work. Doesn't mean there's a right or wrong, use what works for you...but it doesn't mean that AirTags don't work for others.
(There are plenty of people who can find fault with there experiences with Tile) Doesn't mean they shouldn't exist for people who do use them.
If Tile works for your needs, that's great, because you found something that works. For (many) others, AirTags work. Doesn't mean there's a right or wrong, use what works for you...but it doesn't mean that AirTags don't work for others.
(There are plenty of people who can find fault with there experiences with Tile) Doesn't mean they shouldn't exist for people who do use them.
Last edited:
Just another perspective, since you said "you don't understand the positive press".
I live in Europe, Italy. Tile to me is 100% useless. I had 1 bag stolen and a backpack lost (left on the train) with tiles in them. Basically the only thing that the app was able to tell me was when/where I lost them, which I already knew, but once they were out of bluetooth range of my phone, they turned into a dead weight. Absolutely no ping/tracking whatsoever. Tile network is basically non existent in Europe.
So basically Tile is 100% useless for my use case: keeping track of things I lose around or have stolen.
With AirTags instead my use case is 100% covered, I have 16 of them (backpack, wallet, trolley, keys, cars, bicycle, umbrella, etc..) and wish Apple would allow more (like 32 or 64), because there are many other things I would love to tag.
Every single tag gets a location update every 5 mins at most even when left in very remote locations: there is always someone with an iOS device passing by. The only exception is one of cars because it's left in a garage 3 floors underground, so unless happens to take a car next to mine, it doesn't get tracked as often, but it would be back to be tracked constantly if the car would move outside of the garage for any reason (ie stolen).
And this is in Italy where Apple has a at most a 10-20% smartphone market share, because most people have android phones.
In USA I would guess the coverage is even better.
And every single "problem" that you reported don't apply to me: I track them through precision finding, so a not too high volume of the speaker is a non issue basically. Actually, I disconnected the speakers on some of them following YouTube tutorials, to make it harder for the thieves to find them (I have one hidden behind panels on each of my cars, as well as backpack, etc..).
To me Tile is a completely useless product, promising to do something that actually is not able to do at all (tracking lost items, even outside of your phone BT range). I don't understand *ANY* positive press about it honestly
AirTag just do what they promise instead, and even more (considering "theft" is not really an advertised use case).
I live in Europe, Italy. Tile to me is 100% useless. I had 1 bag stolen and a backpack lost (left on the train) with tiles in them. Basically the only thing that the app was able to tell me was when/where I lost them, which I already knew, but once they were out of bluetooth range of my phone, they turned into a dead weight. Absolutely no ping/tracking whatsoever. Tile network is basically non existent in Europe.
So basically Tile is 100% useless for my use case: keeping track of things I lose around or have stolen.
With AirTags instead my use case is 100% covered, I have 16 of them (backpack, wallet, trolley, keys, cars, bicycle, umbrella, etc..) and wish Apple would allow more (like 32 or 64), because there are many other things I would love to tag.
Every single tag gets a location update every 5 mins at most even when left in very remote locations: there is always someone with an iOS device passing by. The only exception is one of cars because it's left in a garage 3 floors underground, so unless happens to take a car next to mine, it doesn't get tracked as often, but it would be back to be tracked constantly if the car would move outside of the garage for any reason (ie stolen).
And this is in Italy where Apple has a at most a 10-20% smartphone market share, because most people have android phones.
In USA I would guess the coverage is even better.
And every single "problem" that you reported don't apply to me: I track them through precision finding, so a not too high volume of the speaker is a non issue basically. Actually, I disconnected the speakers on some of them following YouTube tutorials, to make it harder for the thieves to find them (I have one hidden behind panels on each of my cars, as well as backpack, etc..).
To me Tile is a completely useless product, promising to do something that actually is not able to do at all (tracking lost items, even outside of your phone BT range). I don't understand *ANY* positive press about it honestly
AirTag just do what they promise instead, and even more (considering "theft" is not really an advertised use case).
Last edited:
And yet, you chose to waste 100$ on a pack of 4 instead of going with the single one just to see if the AirTag suited your needs?
My god, first world problems all around you.
I assumed you had an iPhone, I haven't used air tags yet(I use tiles and an iPhone), but on paper, there seem to be clearer advantages over tile while not being as loud as one of the cons. That being said, since I have the battery-replaceable tiles, I'm holding off on air tags until I find a super deal. hmm, Maybe we can do a direct trade?