Tag, You’re It!

New iOS 14.6 adds support for NFC technology with Airtag.

Yes, this is yet another blog about Apple’s AirTag.  We are writing it because AirTags are just so darned interesting with all sorts of new functionality and uses being discovered.  The NFC Forum believes Apple has a winning product here that demonstrates the value of Near Field Communications.

One interesting AirTag feature is called “Shortcuts”.  By tapping the top of an iPhone on the white plastic side of the AirTag an almost infinite number of actions can be triggered.  The potential is intriguing.

Also, intriguing is the “Lost Mode” feature.  This feature allows someone who finds a lost item with an AirTag to scan it with an iPhone or Android device using NFC to get a link to the owner’s contact details so that it can be returned.

The Year Of Our Discontent

This past year was full of change and worry, face masks and foiled plans.

Now, summer is here and getting out of sweatpants and leaving the house is a welcome change. With the new Apple AirTag that uses NFC technology, not getting up and out of the house because of a misplaced  keys or wallet just became a thing of the past. 

Just attach the AirTag onto any item you want to track, (your wallet, keys, or purse, the family dog), and then sync the tag to your device, usually a smartphone. The AirTag NFC technology will then keep track of your items and help you locate them if misplaced,

Pre-orders for the newest Apple gadget started in late April of this year, AirTag is compatible with any iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch that uses iOS 14.5 or later. iOS 14.6, launched on May 24^th this year, adds further support for the AirTag feature with NFC technology.

As noted, some of the most intriguing updates having to do with the AirTag features are that the Lost Mode option.  Find My network accessories will now offer an email option as well as a phone number when the AirTag is read.

For anyone who’s a little lost by this, basically Apple has made it almost impossible for you to lose your things as long as you use AirTags and an  NFC compatible device.

As a bonus use of the NFC coil within the AirTag, iPhone users can use “Shortcuts” which originated with iOS 12 and is completely user managed, meaning there are endless possibilities to how this AirTag “hack” can be used.

Overall, iOS 14.6, in our opinion, is a good download. Between the NFC capability it enhances on iPhones, and the added bug fixes that have also been noted, investing in an AirTag, and downloading iOS 14.6 seem to be the key to having a stress free, COVID-19 free summer.