Samsung one-upped Apple by launching itsGalaxy SmartTagtracking tag a few months ahead of the AirTag in early 2021. But the Korean giant’s offering was average at best, and its limited compatibility greatly limited its reach and usefulness. Samsung also launched an Ultra Wideband version of the tracker in selected markets later, but again, it paled compared to AirTags. Despite the modest success of the original SmartTag, Samsung has not given up on the category and has unveiled the Galaxy SmartTag2 with some significant improvements and upgrades.
With the second iteration, Samsung has redesigned its tracker with a more compact ring-shaped design. It is also IP67 dust and water-resistant, making it much more durable. A large metal loop is part of the tracker, enabling you to easily attach it to other items you want to track.
Thanks to Ultra Wideband support, Samsung claims the new Compass View will show your relative distance from the SmartTag2, enabling you to find the item attached to the tracker easily. It will also use Augmented Reality to point you in the direction of the tracker. You must have a UWB-compatible Galaxy phone for this feature to work, though.
Over Bluetooth, Samsung claims the SmartTag 2 has a range of 120m. Unlike the original SmartTag, which had two variants, there’s only one version of SmartTag2 with both UWB and Bluetooth support.
Battery life has received a huge boost with the second iteration as well. In normal mode, Samsung claims up to 500 days of use, a 50% increase from the original SmartTag. With a new Power Saving Mode, the SmartTag2 can last up to 700 days. This new mode is ideal for keeping track of an item’s location for an extended period.
You need to use SmartThings Find on your Samsung phone to track the SmartTag 2. All user data is encrypted for privacy, with Samsung limiting tracking to one device and SmartThings Find account at a time. For additional security, SmartThings Find will alert you whenever it detects an unknown tag moving with you to prevent unwanted stalking.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2
The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 is the Korean giant’s second item tracker, featuring 50% longer battery life, a new design, and SmartThings Find integration. The tracker is IP67 certified and can last up to 700 days for extended item tracking with the new Power Saving Mode.
A new pet walking mode in SmartTag2 will log your walks with your dog. One of the limiting aspects of the original SmartTag was that it only worked with Galaxy devices. Sadly, that is still an issue with its successor. The Galaxy SmartTag2 only works with SmartThings Find and won’t be compatible with Google’s upcoming Find My Device network. On the plus side, if you are heavily invested in Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem, you will like the integration SmartTag2 offers.
The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 will go on sale starting October 10 in select markets for $30. You can get the tracker in black or white color.
