The Samsung SmartTag2 is three years old now and was due for an upgrade. This is the first generation that is cross-platform – it works with both Android and iOS devices. It’s also smaller and lighter, though that came at a cost. New wireless tech allowed Samsung to improve detection range and to extend battery life.
The Samsung SmartTag3 can now be used by iPhone owners – this makes it easier if you have Android and iOS devices in your family or if a friend or family member wants to borrow, say, a suitcase with a tag attached.
Speaking of attachment, Samsung removed the built-in key ring that was featured on the first two generations. This makes the new tag 35% smaller and 33% lighter (than the SmartTag2). You will need one of the new silicone and loop cases if you want to attach the new tag to a set of keys or your backpack. The smaller size of the new tag does make it easier to embed into things, though, e.g. a suitcase with a dedicated SmartTag3 compartment.
The SmartTag3 offers Compass View with Bluetooth 6.0 Channel Sounding – this gives distance and direction readings to a tag from up to 60m away (200ft). This is three times further than the previous tag. Closer up, your phone can switch to UWB (if it has it) for improved precision.
The Galaxy Find Network boasts 900 million compatible devices worldwide – each and every one of them can send out a ping if it detects your missing item. Like the previous model, the Samsung SmartTag3 has a built-in NFC tag. This enables Lost Mode – it displays contact information or a short message to anyone who scans a tag that you’ve marked as lost.
There’s a new feature called Place Notification – this will notify you when a tagged item leaves or enters a defined area on the map. You can use this to buzz you if your dog gets out of your yard or for home automation as it detects you getting back home.
You can also use the new Movement Detection Alert – this will signal you when a tagged item moves. The Left Behind Alert will instead notify you if you move away from the tagged item. With Location History, you will be able to review the path that a tagged item took to get where it is. The tag is rated IP67, so it can survive being submerged under a meter of water (3ft) for half an hour – regular rain and city grime don’t faze it.
Having mentioned home automation, the SmartThings IoT control lets you trigger routines by pressing the built-in button on the tag.
The tag is still powered by a coin cell. However, it now lasts up to 550 days before you need to change the battery (10% up from the 500 days of the SmartTag2) and you can extend that to over two years (790 days, up from 700 days) using the Power Saving Mode.
The Samsung SmartTag3 will launch in South Korea next week (October 7) and will expand to the US soon. It will be available in more markets next year. There are two color versions – Black and White.