Google’s Pixel Tag tracker launches for $30 as Android alternative to AirTag

Google has launched the Pixel Tag, a new tracker designed to help Android users locate lost items such as keys or wallets, The Verge reported. The device works with Google’s Find Hub app and tracking network, providing a native Android solution similar to Apple’s AirTag.

The Pixel Tag is priced at $29.99 for a single unit or $99.99 for a four-pack, matching the cost of Apple’s AirTag 2, according to The Verge. It features an oblong, slim design that is thinner but longer than the AirTag, weighing 0.4 ounces. Unlike Apple’s tracker, it includes a physical button that can be pressed to trigger a sound to help find misplaced phones or the tag itself, TechCrunch explained.

The tracker supports ultra-wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth 6.0 with Channel Sounding, enabling precise distance and directional finding on compatible Android devices, including Pixel Watches, TechCrunch added. It runs on a single CR2032 coin battery with over a year of life and has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, per The Verge.

Google’s Pixel Tag does not have a built-in hole for attachment but can be paired with accessories to tether it to items. It also includes NFC functionality, which Google uses to connect users to device settings via a tap gesture, differing from Apple’s use of NFC to display owner contact information on lost items, TechCrunch noted.