It feels like we’ve known everything there is to know about it because of rumors and leaks but now it’s official. Samsung has announced its first location tracker with the Galaxy SmartTag to help you look for items you frequently misplace like keys, remote controls, and even pets. It is also integrated with the SmartThings Fund platform. This market segment has long been dominated by Tile but with the addition of Samsung and other upcoming Bluetooth trackers, it’s about to become pretty competitive.
How the Galaxy SmartTag works is pretty simple. You attach it to an item that you want to track and it will show you the location on the SmartThings app through SmartThings Find. It also uses Bluetooth Low Energy to detect the tracked item if it’s nearby. It will show you a green circle that will fill in the closer you are to the item you’re looking for. You can ring the tracker remotely if you need a sound to pinpoint its exact location. You can also ring your phone if the tracker is in your hand and it’s your phone missing.
There are two variants of Samsung’s location tracker. The Galaxy SmartTag standard version is powered by Bluetooth while the upcoming Galaxy SmartTag+ will support Ultra Wide Band tracking. The newly-announced Galaxy S21 Ultra and the Galaxy S21+ have a UWB chipset so it will be able to connect to the SmartTag+ tracker using UWB. It will have more precise location tracking as it taps into the directionality of the chipset.
The Galaxy SmartTag battery can last up to months at a time so there’s no need to constantly replace it. Each tag has a nearby range of 120m. Meanwhile, the Galaxy SmartTag+ will be able to use both spatial and directional tracking and can use UWB and AR Finder on your Samsung smartphone. It will show graphics that will flash to point you in the exact direction where the tracker and item is currently located.
The Samsung Galaxy Smart Tag will be available by January 29 and is priced at $29.99 each. 2 Pack ($49.99) and 4 Pack ($84.99) will be available soon. Those who pre-order any of the Galaxy S21 smartphones from now until January 19 will get a free Galaxy SmartTag. The Galaxy SmartTag+ will be coming soon and will be priced at $39.99 each and the two-pack will be at $64.99.