Apple releases new firmware for the AirTag

Apple has started to roll out a brand new firmware for the AirTag, making it the first update for the compact tracker since October.

The latest firmware, version 2.0.73 and build number 2A73, will be eventually introduced to all AirTags worldwide, but with a typically slow rollout.

Much like the last update, only a small percentage, close to one percent, will get the update on the first day. Higher percentages of AirTags will be allowed to download and install the firmware over the course of several weeks.

For the previous update, build number 2A61, the rate of the rollout meant that all AirTags were allowed to download the firmware four weeks after its October 31 introduction.

Apple has yet to reveal what has changed with the firmware, but due to the relatively limited utility of the AirTag itself, it is most likely a bug fix and performance improvement update.

Users are unable to force the update onto the AirTag, as it will be installed automatically once their AirTag is within Bluetooth range of their iPhone, running iOS 14.5 or later.

6 Comments

coolfactor 2332 comments · 20 Years

About 8 months ago

It's time for Apple to:

- streamline their approach to changelog notes across all software products
- separate security updates from feature updates
- do a comprehensive overhaul of release testing across a broader range of scenarios

The fact that this release is going out without any notes is a red flag for how misaligned the software teams are.

dewme 5737 comments · 10 Years

coolfactor said:

It's time for Apple to:

- streamline their approach to changelog notes across all software products
- separate security updates from feature updates
- do a comprehensive overhaul of release testing across a broader range of scenarios

The fact that this release is going out without any notes is a red flag for how misaligned the software teams are.

I completely agree. Apple doesn't seem to have any notion of letting customers who wish to manage their own assets with finer granularity do so. I totally understand that some customers, probably a majority of Apple's customers, want Apple to manage their assets for them and are perfectly happy with the opaque methods that Apple employs. But for those customers who want or need to know (say in a regulated industry) exactly what's going on, the current state of all of their assets, and be able to apply their own asset management strategy - good luck trying to make that happen. Apple's processes are further hampered by having pieces of asset management functionality spread all over the place. I was hoping that Apple would at least use the Home app as a single console to consolidate asset management, including firmware updates, for all of the devices shown in the Home app in one place. It doesn't look like that's coming any time soon.

michelb76 692 comments · 8 Years

Just got the update, feels snappier :)

VictorMortimer 239 comments · New User

I really, really dislike getting ANY update without adequate release notes. And not being able to control when or if I'm going to be installing an update is NOT ACCEPTABLE, as is not being able to reverse a problematic update. Apple is going to end up breaking stuff and being on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit about this garbage one of these days if they keep it up.

fastasleep 6450 comments · 14 Years

About 7 months ago

They'll post the notes here, eventually, I presume. Not expecting anything interesting:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/102183

All four of mine are updated already.