AirTags Said to Be 'Completely Waterproof' and Use Magnetic Charging Like Apple Watch

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In a report touching on several topics today, Japanese site Mac Otakara claims that Apple's Tile-like "AirTags" item trackers will be "completely waterproof" and use similar magnetic wireless charging to that seen on the Apple Watch.

AirTag image found in iOS 13 build
Evidence of ‌AirTags‌ has been found in builds of ‌iOS 13‌ since last summer, and it appears the small item trackers will show up in the Find My app and enable users to locate misplaced items. With ultra wideband support found in the iPhone 11 lineup and augmented reality, it looks like ‌AirTags‌ could offer high precision and direct the user straight to an item, even pinpointing it within a room.

We're not sure when to expect ‌AirTags‌ to launch, but it looks like it may not be imminent yet, as noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said just last week that production isn't expected to ramp up until the second or third quarter, and today's report from Mac Otakara claims an announcement in the fall of this year, which would likely be alongside new iPhones in September.

Tags: macotakara.jp, AirTags

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Deals: AirPods With Charging Case Available for Low Price of $129.98 on Amazon ($29 Off)

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Amazon continues to knock down the price of the 2019 AirPods with Charging Case, now available for $129.98, down from $159.00 ($29 off). This sale is $1 away from matching the all-time-low price on the AirPods at Amazon, and is the current best price on the wireless headphones among the major Apple resellers online.

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Amazon is also still discounting the AirPods with Wireless Charging Case, priced at $169.00, down from $199.00 ($30 off). A few other retailers are nearly matching that price this week as well, including Best Buy and Adorama.

Although the AirPods Pro are in stock on Amazon this week, they have not been discounted to their previous sale price of $235. But you can save on the standalone Wireless Charging Case for AirPods, which Amazon has for $69.00, down from $79.00. Adorama is also matching that sale.

Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories. We also frequently track the best sales in our AirPods deals guide, so keep an eye on it if you're on the hunt for discounted AirPods.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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Samsung Galaxy A71 Goes on Sale in India for Rs 29,999: Specifications and Features

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Deals: Get the iPhone 11 Smart Battery Case for $99 ($30 Off, New Low Price)

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Amazon has introduced the first discount on Apple's iPhone 11 Smart Battery Case, which is now priced at $99.00, down from $129.00. This $30 discount is currently the best price available for the accessory, which is still $129.00 at retailers like Best Buy.

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Only the Black color option has been marked down to $99.00 on Amazon, while White is priced around $120 at this time ($10 off). Likewise, the Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have not been discounted to $99, but you can find a few for $10 off.

The Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 11 is able to deliver up to 50 percent longer battery life to the iPhone, and is compatible with Qi wireless chargers. When connected, you can see how much battery life the case and your iPhone have left thanks to iOS integration with the Smart Battery Case.

You can also save on the Smart Battery Case for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, which have been discounted to $78.00 on Amazon, down from $129.00.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.

Related Roundup: Apple Deals

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2020 iPhones May Support New Short Range Wi-Fi Standard

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Apple's next iPhone series may support a new Wi-Fi standard known as IEEE 802.11ay, according to Japanese blog MacOtakara.


802.11ay is the follow-up of IEEE 802.11ad, quadrupling the bandwidth and adding up to 4 streams of multiple transmission/reception. The new Wi-Fi spec, which uses the 60GHz spectrum, is still in the draft phase but is expected to be finalized by the end of 2020.

The translated report is quite difficult to decipher, but the blog calls the wireless standard "ultra-short range," which suggests it could be used to communicate between iPhones (i.e. AirDrop) and perhaps other Apple devices in close proximity.

Interestingly, a 2018 report claimed that Apple has been working on an AR/VR headset that would be untethered from either a computer or a smartphone and instead connect to a "dedicated box" using the 802.11ay wireless standard. The box was said to be powered by a custom 5-nanometer Apple processor similar to the custom chips that Apple will use in future Macs.

Connecting the two rumors is pure speculation at this point, but it's interesting to conceive of different scenarios where Apple uses the new Wi-Fi standard to enable next-generation wireless AR/VR experiences.

That said, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has claimed the company's AR roadmap will initially focus on the iPad and ‌iPhone‌ before any sort of headset comes to fruition.

In November, Gurman said Apple is working on "a range of augmented and virtual-reality devices" based around a new 3D sensor system, which will arrive first on a new iPad Pro slated for release in the first half of 2020, and followed by Apple's new iPhones later in the year.

Moving beyond existing devices, Apple is said to be targeting 2021 or 2022 for the release of a combination VR and AR headset focused on "gaming, watching video and virtual meetings."

Related Roundup: iPhone 12

Tags: macotakara.jp, 802.11ay

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The ASUS Chromebook Flip C436 resurfaces on Amazon for pre-order

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Realme X50 Pro 5G with Snapdragon 865 SoC, 65W SuperDart Charge Launched in India: Price, Specifications

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