Google takes on AirTag with the new $29 Pixel Tag | TechCrunch

At its recent promotional showcase, Google officially unveiled the Pixel Tag, a portable locating accessory priced at twenty-nine dollars that is positioned as a direct competitor to Apple's established tracking device.

This new hardware utility integrates seamlessly with the expanded Android Find Hub ecosystem, leveraging the massive global network of active Android devices to help owners pinpoint the exact coordinates of their lost personal belongings. In addition to standard mobile device compatibility, users can conveniently interact with and ring the tracker directly from their compatible wearable smartwatch devices on the go. In terms of physical design, Google opted for an elongated, oval footprint that is slightly thinner and narrower than its primary circular competitor, while maintaining an almost identical weight profile and robust IP67 resistance ratings against temporary liquid immersion and dust ingress.\n\nOn the technical front, the tracking accessory relies on a combination of Bluetooth wireless technology and Ultra Wideband signals to provide users with highly precise directional guidance, though it notably excludes near-field communication capabilities. The hardware unit houses a small integrated speaker to play locator tones when searching in the immediate vicinity and runs on a standard, user-replaceable coin cell battery that provides roughly twelve months of operational life before requiring replacement. Scheduled to hit retail shelves in late autumn of 2026, the tracker will be offered individually or in a discounted bundled package of four units, giving consumers a practical option for safeguarding valuable everyday items such as keychains, backpacks, and travel luggage. This launch represents a significant effort by the search giant to capture a share of the high-margin smart accessory ecosystem.