AirTag shipments rise could result in second-gen model, says Kuo

The AirTag has become a budget-friendly hit for users, albeit one mired by controversy from the misdeeds of some users. In a Sunday Twitter post, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF Securities believes the accessory's popularity is still rising.

The AirTag "has gradually grown in shipments since its release," the analyst writes. The shipment estimates for the tracker are thought to have reached roughly 20 million in 2021, while in 2022, it is reckoned will reach 35 million.

Kuo points out that AirTag has "not received much attention," referring to how Apple released the tracker and set up connected systems, but hasn't made any real changes to the product so far. "If AirTag shipments continue to grow, I believe Apple will develop the 2nd generation," declares the analyst.

A second-generation model is pretty much a given for most of Apple's releases, with the company typically refining its products with new features across multiple generations. Though not a massive leap in speculation, Kuo's comment is a rare vote of confidence that a new model could arrive at some point.

That said, for a relatively simple design, there's not much that could be tweaked or changed in a future update. Where Apple could go with the tracker in the future is anyone's guess.