Xiaomi Tag, the Apple AirTag budget killer, is now official and it lacks something you might want

It's so refreshing, life-affirming even, to see a new super practical gadget at a budget-friendly price. That's the brand-new Xiaomi Tag for you: a Bluetooth item tracker.

It's already on sale

We've mentioned the Xiaomi Tag precisely two months ago, when all the rumors pointed at a pill-shaped tracker at a low price. Well, this turned out to be true: WinFuture reports that in France, it's sold for €18 (~$21 when directly converted). I just saw the Xiaomi Tag at an even lower price – €14 (~$16 when directly converted) in Eastern Europe, which is great news.

The model number is BHR08SPGL and it comes with a dust and waterproof rating of IP67, a beeper, Bluetooth V5.4 connectivity, a CR2032 battery (for a full year of use) and a weight of 8 g. The tracker itself looks sleek, it's white and it works over Apple's Find My and Google's Find Hub networks.

But there's something missing – something that earlier reports swore the Xiaomi Tag would utilize: UWB connectivity. I won't be surprised if the current (BHR08SPGL) Xiaomi Tag gets a sibling soon, one that offers UWB… but it could be priced higher. Anyway, we'll keep you posted about it if such a gadget pops up.

What's UWB?

The Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology is crucial for ultra-precise tracking (showing locations within inches), while Bluetooth-only trackers provide what's perceived as "general location". Of course, that's still useful, but if you want the best of the best, you'd want UWB.

So, instead of calculating precise spatial positioning, the Xiaomi Tag broadcasts a Bluetooth signal that nearby devices can detect. A paired smartphone estimates proximity by measuring signal strength (RSSI), which provides only an approximate distance rather than an exact location. When the tracker is outside the owner's Bluetooth range, many systems leverage crowd-sourced networks, where other users' phones anonymously detect the tracker and relay its last known position to the cloud.

How to use the Xiaomi Tag?

If you're worried about your stuff, an item tracker provides some level of peace of mind. For example, if you get a four-pack of trackers (they're usually sold either individually on in a pack), you can put one:

• On your keys
• In your wallet
• In your car
• In your priceless Ming dynasty porcelain vase

Once you hook up the tracker with your phone, you can track where your stuff is. Super useful if your luggage gets lost at a big airport.

Alternatively, you can check out Apple's just-updated AirTag 2. This one comes with a second-generation UWB chip on board for an even better Precision Finding. But it costs $29.

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