Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus tags with Ultra Wideband launching April 16

Samsung is beating Apple's "AirTags" to market, with the Galaxy SmartTag Plus that includes precise Ultra Wideband tracking and will launch on April 16 for $39.99.

The Galaxy SmartTag Plus is an upgraded version of the company's $29.99 tracking tag that it launched in January. At the time, the company also that teased the updated UWB-equipped version would be coming later in 2021.

To be able to use the UWB capabilities, users will be a compatible Samsung device like a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy S21 Plus, Galaxy S21 Ultra, or Galaxy Z Fold 2. Users will be able to get much more accurate location information with the UWB support, and Samsung has also included some augmented reality features for easier locating.

Compared to standard Bluetooth-based item tracking, UWB will allow for much more accurate and precise location information — particularly if used indoors. Beyond UWB support, the SmartTag Plus works pretty much the same way as its cheaper counterpart. Like Apple's Find My network, users will be able to leverage Galaxy devices to help track missing objects.

Samsung's Friday, April 16 release date means that the South Korean smartphone maker will beat Apple to the punch of releasing a UWB tracking tag.

Apple is thought to be working on its own UWB tracking tag under the "AirTags" moniker. That device is expected to support ARKit features and tight integration with the Find My app. Although an exact release date isn't clear, it's likely that Apple will announce the product sometime in the first half of 2021.

Earlier in April, Apple also debuted third-party support for its Find My app, letting users track devices like Chopolo tags and VanMoof electric bikes in the Items tab of the app.

17 Comments

Beats 4 Years · 3073 comments

About 3 years ago

Someone mentioned that AirTags may have been a decoy to sniff out leakers and that 3rd party Find My support was the real project Apple was working on.Would be funny if Sammy crapped out a tag over an Apple decoy project!!

Japhey 6 Years · 1772 comments

Beats said:

Someone mentioned that AirTags may have been a decoy to sniff out leakers and that 3rd party Find My support was the real project Apple was working on.Would be funny if Sammy crapped out a tag over an Apple decoy project!!

It would only be funny if these bomb. Which, judging by the interest AirTags have garnered, they probably won’t. I’m just wondering if they’ll try for an MFi certification for these to take advantage of that interest while we wait around for Apple to make its move.

Actually, what would be really funny is if Apple dropped them via press release early next week.

sflocal 16 Years · 6138 comments

Beats said:

Someone mentioned that AirTags may have been a decoy to sniff out leakers and that 3rd party Find My support was the real project Apple was working on.Would be funny if Sammy crapped out a tag over an Apple decoy project!!

I think Samsung caught wind that Apple was about to introduce the AirTags, so better to be first than have anything that actually works.

If AirTags work as Apple has described them to be, I'm going to buy a bunch of them for sure!

thisisdumb 3 Years · 1 comment

To the Author - Were you in such a rush to get this (old) news out that you couldn’t reread your writing before posting? It diminishes your credibility and/or shows how shaken up you are that Samsung is essentially forcing Apple to create a product that isn’t substandard BS.

Decoy or not, the Tile tags have been out a long while so both Samsung and Apple are late to the game. It’s shameful that both companies release improved versions of their products just months after an initial release. WE ARE SHEEP FOR BUYING IT ALL. No way am I buying the first (and super loooooong awaited) iteration of Apple Tags.

Also, unrelated, myself and 3 people I know managed to scratch the displays of our 12 Pro/Pro Max devices the first week of ownership.....”strongest display ever” *eyeroll*

thisisdumb said:

To the Author - Were you in such a rush to get this (old) news out that you couldn’t reread your writing before posting? It diminishes your credibility and/or shows how shaken up you are that Samsung is essentially forcing Apple to create a product that isn’t substandard BS.
Decoy or not, the Tile tags have been out a long while so both Samsung and Apple are late to the game. It’s shameful that both companies release improved versions of their products just months after an initial release. WE ARE SHEEP FOR BUYING IT ALL. No way am I buying the first (and super loooooong awaited) iteration of Apple Tags.

Also, unrelated, myself and 3 people I know managed to scratch the displays of our 12 Pro/Pro Max devices the first week of ownership.....”strongest display ever” *eyeroll*

Excellent first post, Thisisdumb. Indeed, it is.