Since Apple released its AirTag item tracker in 2021, people have been using it to locate their keys, wallets, water bottles, and even some things they shouldn’t, such as their kids and pets. While BGR has reported a few stories of Apple’s AirTag being used to stalk people, which led Apple, Google, and other manufacturers to create new privacy mechanisms over item trackers, they have also been used to cut crime.
According to CBS Colorado (via AppleInsider), AirTags have revolutionized how stolen cars are found. This is why, on January 19, 2025, the Arvada Police Department held its first giveaway event for community members to get free item trackers. CBS’s footage reveals that AirTag and TIle trackers have been given away.
It’s unclear how many AirTag devices the Colorado police department bought, but half of what they had were given away at the event alongside a free car sticker saying, “Warning—Tracker Equipped: This vehicle can be traced by police if stolen!”
The advantage of using an AirTag to locate a car is that the item tracker is quite small. Since the owner keeps connecting their iPhone to the AirTag every time they’re near the vehicle, it takes longer for the privacy measure to reveal where the item tracker is.
Ahead of the AirTag 2 release, Apple has been embracing the usefulness of the item tracker. With the recent iOS 18.2 release, Cupertino started partnering with airlines worldwide so passengers can share their luggage location as long as they have an AirTag attached.
With this feature, airlines can request a link from the user to see the location of their luggage (and track it) for a limited period. This also lets iPhone users share their item location for a period with others.
A future AirTag model is said to have triple the current range, but other features, such as a redesign, louder speaker, or improved battery life, are still unclear. Apple will likely announce this device in a spring event.
