Google has officially released its much-anticipated item tracker, the Google Pixel Tag, following its initial announcement at the Google Pixel 11 launch event back in August. Available to buy now, the new accessory is priced at $29 / £29.99 / AU$49 for a single unit, or $99 / £99 / AU$169 for a bundle of four, matching the standard industry pricing set by competitors like Apple's AirTag.
The Pixel Tag enters a crowded market of item finders, matching many of the core specifications offered by established Android-compatible rivals. Weighing just 11.8g with dimensions of 28 x 46.1 x 5.4mm, the tracker features an IP67 rating for moderate water resistance and houses a replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery designed to last over a year. Users can locate nearby items by triggering an audible sound or view them on a map from further away using Find Hub, a crowdsourced network of over one billion Android devices.
Key takeaways
- The Google Pixel Tag costs $29 / £29.99 / AU$49, with a four-pack available for $99 / £99 / AU$169.
- It features Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, Bluetooth 6.0 with Channel Sounding, and an IP67 water resistance rating.
- The tracker is compatible with all Android devices running Android 9 and above.
- Users can press the tag's button twice to ring their phone, or receive alerts when leaving items behind.
Advanced tracking and connectivity features
Beyond basic location tracking, the Google Pixel Tag includes Ultra Wideband (UWB) support and Bluetooth 6.0 with Channel Sounding for precise short-range tracking. When users are close to a tagged item, directional arrows appear directly on their phone screen to guide them. The device also offers bidirectional functionality; pressing a button on the Pixel Tag twice will cause a misplaced paired handset to ring loudly.
Additional software features include separation alerts that notify users if they leave a tagged item behind. Owners can mark a Pixel Tag as lost within the ecosystem to receive automated notifications as soon as the Find Hub network detects its location. Furthermore, tracking permissions are flexible, allowing multiple people to monitor shared items or share specific item locations with trusted contacts or airlines.
How the Pixel Tag compares to rival Android trackers
When stacked against alternative trackers like the Moto Tag 2 and Samsung GalaxySmartTag 2, Google's offering holds its own. The Moto Tag 2 offers slightly better water resistance with an IP68 rating and a battery life exceeding 600 days, while the Galaxy SmartTag 2 provides up to 500 days of battery life from its replaceable CR2032 battery.
However, the Pixel Tag stands out in ecosystem versatility. While Samsung's tracker is strictly limited to Samsung phones, the Pixel Tag is compatible with any Android phone running Android 9 or higher. Additionally, Google's tracker boasts widespread international availability, whereas competitors face regional limitations such as the Moto Tag 2 lacking availability in Australia. While Samsung has previewed an upcoming Galaxy SmartTag 3 featuring future iOS compatibility, that hardware is not expected until 2027.
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