Following the success of the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag and SmartTag+, the company announced a third successor in the line on Wednesday: Galaxy SmartTag2. Launching on October 10, the SmartTag2 promises upgrades in several areas which include the SmartThings Find companion app, battery life, design, and security.
In terms of the redesigned SmartThings Find companion app, users now get a new Compass View feature which allows them to look at how far and in what direction the SmartTag2 is in relation to them. Any UWB-supported Galaxy smartphone is able to support this feature. The app also offers a new full-screen map view and a retouched interface that’s supposed to be more intuitive. To allow quick and easy access, users now also get a shortcut to the app on their phones.
The battery life on the SmartTag2 has gotten an impressive boost. It has seen a 50% increase as compared to previous models and has been extended to 500 days. There’s also a new Power Saving Mode which makes your SmartTag2 last for a whopping 700 days when enabled. That’s more than twice as long as its predecessors and around twice as long as its rival, Apple’s Airtag.
There are two notable design upgrades as well. The SmartTag2 features a completely revamped ring-shaped design that’s much more compact than before. Its compactness is really appreciated since it’s a significant shift from the obtrusive and clunky design of the SmartTag+. Though we did see a ring on the SmartTag2’s predecessor as well, this one comes with metal on the inside of the loop to better support rugged accessories. The new tag furthers its support for rugged use by sporting an IP67 water and dust resistance rating which can be especially helpful for pet owners.
As far as security is concerned, SmartThings Find encrypts users’ data and then adds an extra layer of security to it using Samsung Knox. It also makes sure that your SmartTag can only be tracked by one device at a time. Additionally, through the ‘Unknown tag alerts’ feature, SmartThings Find sends users a notification as soon as it detects an unknown SmartTag moving with them. This helps prevent unauthorized tracking.