Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 tracker’s new design revealed in FCC filing
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag 2 appeared in an FCC listing today, offering us a small preview of what to expect from the forthcoming location tracker (via 9to5Google).
Perhaps most notably, the FCC listing refers to one version of the tracker that will come with ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity for more precise tracking. That doesn’t rule out Samsung releasing a second variant later. The $39 SmartTag Plus — which combined BLE with UWB — came after the original $29 standard SmartTag, which featured only Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
Another notable difference is that the Galaxy SmartTag’s loop appears significantly larger than that of its predecessor. In fact, it looks bigger than the Tile Pro, which should make it even easier to attach the tracker to keychains.
Finally, the new tracker also looks like it will adopt a white pill-shaped design, as opposed to its black rounded-square-shaped predecessor. It’s not clear whether the tracker is smaller than the original models, but the slimmer build is reminiscent of the Tile Pro’s key fob-like design. For those who clip trackers to keychains to keep tabs on, say, car keys, that could potentially make it a little easier to hold.
Image: FCC
Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag 2 as it appeared in an FCC listing.
It’s uncertain how much more competitive the tracker will become. We don’t know yet if it’ll support Google’s upcoming Find My Device network. We also don’t know if the Galaxy SmartTag will only again be limited to Samsung Galaxy phones. That is arguably one of its major drawbacks and why we recommended the Tile Pro for Android users even though it doesn’t offer UWB capabilities.
The FCC filing comes a month after a Bluetooth SIG listing revealed the tracker would continue to require the use of Samsung’s SmartThings app. Beyond that, however, there’s little else we know about the tracker.
It’s also not clear when the tracker will be released. There was some speculation it would make its debut at last week’s Galaxy Unpacked event, which saw Samsung announce new phones, smartwatches, and tablets. However, there was no mention of a new Galaxy SmartTag.
Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag 2 appeared in an FCC listing today, offering us a small preview of what to expect from the forthcoming location tracker (via 9to5Google).
Perhaps most notably, the FCC listing refers to one version of the tracker that will come with ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity for more precise tracking. That doesn’t rule out Samsung releasing a second variant later. The $39 SmartTag Plus — which combined BLE with UWB — came after the original $29 standard SmartTag, which featured only Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
Another notable difference is that the Galaxy SmartTag’s loop appears significantly larger than that of its predecessor. In fact, it looks bigger than the Tile Pro, which should make it even easier to attach the tracker to keychains.
Finally, the new tracker also looks like it will adopt a white pill-shaped design, as opposed to its black rounded-square-shaped predecessor. It’s not clear whether the tracker is smaller than the original models, but the slimmer build is reminiscent of the Tile Pro’s key fob-like design. For those who clip trackers to keychains to keep tabs on, say, car keys, that could potentially make it a little easier to hold.
Image: FCC
Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag 2 as it appeared in an FCC listing.
It’s uncertain how much more competitive the tracker will become. We don’t know yet if it’ll support Google’s upcoming Find My Device network. We also don’t know if the Galaxy SmartTag will only again be limited to Samsung Galaxy phones. That is arguably one of its major drawbacks and why we recommended the Tile Pro for Android users even though it doesn’t offer UWB capabilities.
The FCC filing comes a month after a Bluetooth SIG listing revealed the tracker would continue to require the use of Samsung’s SmartThings app. Beyond that, however, there’s little else we know about the tracker.
It’s also not clear when the tracker will be released. There was some speculation it would make its debut at last week’s Galaxy Unpacked event, which saw Samsung announce new phones, smartwatches, and tablets. However, there was no mention of a new Galaxy SmartTag.