Smart home
Apple AirTag Review
Priced at Rs. 3,190 for one Apple AirTag, or Rs. 10,900 for a pack of four, this product serves a very specific purpose – helping you keep track of your belongings. Is it good at what it does? Find out in this review.
What is the Apple AirTag, and what does it do?
The Apple AirTag is a tracking device that can be attached to a small personal object such as a bunch of keys, or placed inside a backpack, handbag, or suitcase. The device uses Bluetooth for connectivity, and draws power from a replaceable CR2032 button cell. The small, disc-shaped tracker can be linked to your Apple ID using an iOS device, and controlled using Apple’s Find My app.
Each AirTag can potentially be tracked using Apple’s crowdsourced ‘Find My’ network. An AirTag can ping any nearby supported iPhone, regardless of whose it is, which can then anonymously share its location with the user of the account it’s linked to.
Connecting and linking your AirTag to your Apple ID is easy; just bring it close to your iPhone to get started
Of course, this method isn’t perfect, and indeed AirTags work best when used within a small and known radius. They’re meant to efficiently help you find something you’ve misplaced in your home or office, rather than lost on the street.
Each AirTag runs on a replaceable battery that is said to power the device for up to a year before needing a replacement. For connectivity, they use Bluetooth Low Energy. AirTags are compatible with any iPhone, iPod touch or iPad running iOS 14.5 or later. There’s also a Precision Finding feature that leverages Ultra Wideband through the U1 chip on compatible iPhones (all iPhone 11, iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models). Each AirTag has a built-in ringer that emits a sound to help you locate it in close range. The device is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance.
It’s worth pointing out that the AirTag is very prone to scuffs on the metal outer side, and just a few days into its use I already had a few scratches. These didn’t bother me too much since they didn’t affect the functioning of the device; this is meant to be something you set up and forget about, until the unfortunate point that you may need to activate its tracking features.
Apple sent me a pack of four AirTags for review, along with a Rs. 3,590 Leather Key Ring and a Rs. 2,990 Loop. Each AirTag can be set up separately, and the accessories, although expensive, will help in attaching them to objects you want to use, such as keys or a bag. It’s worth pointing out that you can buy more affordable third-party accessories for the AirTags, with plenty of options available on e-commerce stores.
The Apple Leather Key Ring for AirTag is priced at Rs. 3,590 in India
How do I use the Apple AirTag?
Apple tends to make the setup process simple with its products, and Apple AirTags are incredibly easy to set up. It took me less than a minute to get one ready for use; it was detected by my iPhone immediately on activating it, and took just a handful of steps to register it to my Apple ID with an editable electronic label. There are a few selectable options for labelling each AirTag, such as Keys, Backpack, and Bike, to name a few, but you can also choose a custom label for your AirTag and change it at any time.
Once done, I was able to keep track of the AirTag – and the personal item it was attached to – with the Find My app on iOS. The app allows you to track devices such as an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Apple audio products, and those of other people such as family members (when location sharing access has been granted to you). For AirTags, the ‘Items’ section is the important one, since this shows the location of your ‘AirTagged’ personal items, and also lets you access the controls and functions for specific items.
The first thing you’ll see is a map view (powered by Apple Maps), which shows the last known location of your tagged items. Pulling up the items list shows you specifics about those items – in my case, all three showed a ‘With You’ sign, indicating that they were in the immediate vicinity of my iPhone.
Tapping on a specific item lets you see the battery status of that particular AirTag, play a sound to help you quickly find it in your immediate surroundings, find it directionally using its Ultra Wideband signal with on-screen prompts and vibration feedback, and choose notification settings for it. You can choose to be notified if that item has been left behind, select location exceptions for notifications, rename or remove an item, and enable ‘Lost Mode’.
The notifications when an item was left behind worked well, letting me know if I was no longer near an item with an AirTag attached. Furthermore, placing an AirTag in my scooter also worked, as it provided me the last known location which was even updated occasionally – presumably when someone with an iPhone was nearby.
The Find My app on iOS lets you access the functions and features of the AirTag
When ‘Lost Mode’ is active, the Find My app will use its network and anonymous location sharing from other users to attempt to locate the AirTag and tell you where it is. I didn’t activate this mode since I didn’t lose my items at any point during my review, and it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t a foolproof way to find things you’ve lost.
The system relies on the AirTag being able to ping a nearby iOS device using Bluetooth, which may not always be possible. However, if it does work, it will notify you that the device has been found and provide you a location.
In countries such as the US where a lot of people use iPhones, the ‘mesh’ of users contributing to the Find My network is huge, making such a device much more effective even in somewhat remote locations. It’s also worth pointing out here that you can opt out of the Find My network entirely, and users who have done so will not be contributing to the network and its ability to help detect lost AirTags.
In India, it’s a little less reliable for this functionality, since this depends on your lost AirTag being in close proximity of someone with a supported iPhone who has not opted out of the Find My network; the number of iPhone users is already small, even before you have to exclude a few of those who have opted out. Naturally, this would also mean it’s much more effective in urban areas, where there will likely be more iPhones to work with.
Within my home, the AirTag worked well, producing a chiming sound as needed, which helped me identify where it was. However, the sound wasn’t very loud, and I often needed to silence everything else to be able to hear it. The on-screen Precision Finding feature also worked well, showing me the distance to the AirTag, with an arrow and circle showing me the direction to move in. There’s even vibration feedback that got stronger as I got closer.
It might also be important to bring up potential privacy and safety concerns here. This is a small, easy-to-hide device, and could potentially be used to track another person through a personal item or vehicle without them knowing. Apple has built features into the product to counter these exact concerns, but researchers and tech reporters suggest that these don’t work as well as they should.
The Apple AirTag scuffs easily, with scratches showing on my review units within days of opening them up
Verdict
The Apple AirTag is as niche a product as it gets, but it’s one that fits very well into the Apple ecosystem and does its job reasonably well. It’s very good at finding items misplaced in a known space, and could potentially work for items that are lost or stolen as well, although the latter system is not guaranteed to work, especially in India where Apple devices remain out of reach for many people. Although you will have to periodically replace the batteries, the AirTag uses widely available CR2032 cells and will be easy to maintain in the long run.
While Apple claims the battery will need to be replaced only once a year, this entirely depends on how it’s used – features such as the ringer and Ultra Wideband detection will speed up battery drain.
Although very susceptible to scuffs, the Apple AirTag gave me very little else to complain about – apart from its price, and the cost of Apple’s original accessories. It’s expensive for the kind of features on offer, and will only really make sense if you’re heavily invested in the Apple product ecosystem and often misplace your personal items around your home or office.
Rating: 8/10
Pros:
- Small, easy to set up and use
- Find My app works well with AirTags
- Up to one year battery life, easily replaceable battery
- Works very well to find items in a known space
Cons:
- Expensive
- Gets scuffed easily in normal use
- Only works with iOS devices
- Ringer isn’t very loud
Gadgets360 spoke with Manu Sharma, Managing Director of Dreame Technology India, about the company’s plans for the Indian market. Speaking about the partnership, Manu Sharma said, “We are extremely happy to welcome Kriti Sanon to the Dreame family. Her strong interest in technology and progressive outlook resonate with our mission to revolutionize Indian homes with intelligent, cutting-edge solutions.” Some responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
Smart cleaning is still a new concept for many Indian households. How is Dreame educating the market and building trust among first-time users?
Smart cleaning may be a relatively new concept in India, but there are immense possibilities in this field. There are many nuclear families in India. Additionally, a large number of people are working in various sectors. Many couples find it difficult to manage household cleanliness along with their jobs. In such a situation, we aim to make their lives easier through our automated vacuum cleaners and other AI-powered products, allowing them to focus more on their careers and families.
We are witnessing a significant surge in demand for these products in India. While awareness about these products is currently limited, we believe the future holds great potential, and this will soon become a booming industry.
We are actively working to educate people about smart cleaning solutions. Appointing Kriti Sanon as the brand ambassador for Dreame Technology is part of this strategy. Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon has a strong youth following in India, and we are targeting that demographic.
Our goal is to cater to every segment of society, which is why our robotic vacuum range starts from Rs. 15,000 and goes up to Rs. 1 lakh. Additionally, we are expanding into offline markets soon, where customers will be able to experience our products firsthand. We are planning to expand in India in a phased manner to provide people with the best automated AI technology products we are developing.
Dreame’s product range in India
How do you see the smart home/robotic vacuum cleaner market evolving in India over the next five years, and what role will Dreame play in this growth?
Last year, the smart home vacuum cleaning market in India was around 1.5 lakh units. This year, it is expected to double to approximately 3 lakh units. Our market share has grown significantly—from 5 percent last year to over 25 percent now—positioning us to clearly become the market leader in India by year-end. Currently, the penetration of smart vacuum cleaners in India remains low, which makes it challenging to project the market over the next five years. However, we are optimistic that the market size will continue to double annually over the next five to six years, and we are aligning our strategy accordingly.
What are the company’s plans for this financial year? Can the company open its exclusive offline experience store in India?
We plan to launch eight new products in India this year. We have already launched the first batch of products in this lineup. Before the festival season, you will get to see many of our new products in the Indian market. Our company has many exclusive offline experience stores in multiple locations across the world. In such a situation, if we see good growth in India, then we will soon open our exclusive offline experience store here.
India is a price-sensitive yet aspirational market for many companies. How does Dreame plan to balance affordability with premium innovation here?
Yes, you are right. That’s why we are full range of player. we have as a mention products from Rs. 15,000 to almost Rs. 1 lakh. We have products for all different income group people. We are definitely seeing growing demand in this segment in India. As volumes increase, it will naturally impact pricing, allowing us to offer our products at more affordable prices. For example, many of our premium products that were priced around Rs. 1 lakh a few years ago are now available for approximately Rs. 50,000. Since we manufacture our products in-house, we have full control over the supply chain. As demand continues to grow, we are committed to passing those benefits on to our customers.
Is Dreame planning to launch India-specific models or variants in coming months — because on environment wise we are different from other country?
Currently, most of the products we have launched in the Indian market are global products. But we already started tuning our products according to the Indian environment. For example, deep cleaning, high suction power and mopping are very important aspects for India. One such product of ours is L10 Prime, which comes with full stack mopping with entry level price. In the coming time, we will definitely launch our products according to Indian conditions. Apart from this, if the demand increases in India, we will also consider setting up our manufacturing units here under Make in India initiative.
How are you handling after-sales service and customer support, which are critical for tech products in India?
Our products are still new to the Indian market. In such a situation, our engineers are going to people’s homes and giving them demo of the products. We are continuously expanding our reach. Earlier, we initially delivered to 165 cities, that number has now grown to 200. We offer pick-up and drop-off services for our customers, and if any issues arise with the product, our engineers visit the customer’s home to resolve them. We’ve also partnered with third-party service providers to enhance our after-sales support. People can also connect through toll free numbers.
During the briefing, I got a chance to check out the 65-inch variant of the X Pro QLED TV. Its design remains the same as before. It still features the same skinny metal bezel that surrounds the massive display. Apart from the 43-inch and 55-inch options, I was told that the TV will also be launched in a smaller 32-inch variant. The smaller display means that it will be offered at an even lower price point, which will make the QLED TV more accessible than it already is.
The design of the 2025 models are similar to the previous one
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
There’s a new remote. It has rounded sides, which makes it more comfortable to hold. It is also a lot taller than the previous one. Xiaomi has added a number pad to it and gets new RGYB buttons at the bottom.
The TV’s slim design is now accompanied by better-sounding, built-in box speakers. Xiaomi has considered feedback on the previous series and enhanced the TV’s audio delivery. The brand claims that these deliver better sound compared to the previous models, but in terms of wattage, the 43-inch model remains the same as before, which is 30W on paper. The 55-inch and 65-inch models get a slight boost at 34W.
The audio quality was sufficiently loud, clear, and immersive during my short experiential session. Indeed, it seemed as if it did not need an optional sound bar. But again, I was listening to and viewing a movie in a very controlled, studio-like environment.
The panels have changed… well, kind of. The displays that generally operate at 60Hz can now, thanks to DLG technology (Dual line gate), double their refresh rate when required. Xiaomi claims it is useful when watching sports (with enhanced motion) or when connected to a console to play games that support high refresh rates. Xiaomi offers 4K 120Hz panels on all three models. However, do keep in mind that DLG does reduce the resolution of the panel when aiming to deliver a faster frame-rate.
The new remote gets a number pad among other add-ons
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The main attraction of Xiaomi’s X Pro QLED series this year is the Filmmaker Mode or FMM. Xiaomi claims that it is supposed to show any content (except for gaming content) from any source (Blu-ray discs, streaming, or broadcast) the way it was intended by the filmmaker. FMM also corrects the aspect ratios and frame rates, preventing any artificial enhancements from ruining the movie.
While it sounds fancy, it is basically a picture mode which turns off all the unnecessary alterations like frame insertion (motion-enhancing MEMC), sharpening or colour boosting that happens in the standard or other picture modes provided by the TV. The result is content that appears natural and untouched, as it was intended to appear whether you are watching standard definition content or HDR content. The mode can be activated either manually (in picture settings) or is automatically triggered by the metadata in the content being viewed.
During my short demo, the Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode in the new X Pro series did make the colours appear natural in this mode, with lesser sharpening and the motion enhancing (or motion interpolation) turned off.
In terms of software, Xiaomi’s PatchWall continues to exist. PatchWall and the underlying Android TV worked as intended during the demo. However, smart TVs (especially the affordable ones) are known to lag once they begin to age. With no hardware upgrades compared to the previous models, I am a bit sceptical about how well the new X Pro will age.
The port selection too remains the same as on previous models
Photo Credit: Xiaomi
The Smart TV experience is powered by a quad-core Cortex A55 CPU and a Mali G52 GPU. There’s 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, all of which is identical to what you get on the previous model. The port selection also remains the same as before. There are two USB 2.0 ports, one ethernet port, an AV port, three HDMI ports (one with eARC), an earphone jack and a port for the antenna.
We will be testing out the Xiaomi X Pro QLED series thoroughly in our review. With price tags starting from as low as Rs. 31,999 these TVs, given their QLED panels, do seem feature-packed but do check out our detailed review before you take the leap.
Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Series Price in India, Availability
Price of the Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro smart TV series starts at Rs. 31,999 for the base model with a 43-inch screen. The 55-inch variant is priced at Rs. 44,999, while the 65-inch version is priced at Rs. 64,999. The new series will go on sale starting April 16 through Flipkart, Mi.com, and Xiaomi retail stores.
During the launch event, the brand also confirmed that a new Xiaomi QLED TV A Pro 32-inch variant will be available in May. Pricing details for the 32-inch TV will be revealed at a later date.
Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Specifications
The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series is offered in 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch displays with 4K (2,160×3,840 pixels) resolution and a 178-degree viewing angle. The display supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and offer up to 120Hz refresh rate. They use Xiaomi’s propriety Vivid Picture Engine 2 technology and DLG (Dual Line Gate) technology.
The 43-inch model has a 30W speaker unit, whereas the 55-inch and 65-inch variants have a speaker unit with 34W audio output. They support Xiaomi Sound, Dolby Audio, DTS:X and DTS Virtual: X technology. The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro models run on Quad Core A55 chip alongside Mali-G52 MC1 GPU. They pack 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. They come with a MagiQ feature that is claimed to deliver vibrant, true-to-life colours. Xiaomi has also included a Filmmaker mode.
Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series runs on Google TV with Xiaomi’s own Patchwall UI. The series has Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity. All three models feature Xiaomi TV+, a platform that provides free access to live channels. They support Apple AirPlay 2, and there is inbuilt Google Chromecast and Miracast. They have an inbuilt Google Voice Assistant that lets users navigate the TV with voice commands. They offer a Kids Mode feature with a parental lock.
The new Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series ships with a remote with a numerical keypad. It has features such as Quick Wake and Quick Settings. The TVs include three HDMI ports with support for eARC, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, an AV connector, Antenna input, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The 65-inch variant measures 1445 x75 x833, while the 55-inch and 45-inch models measure 1226 x76 x711mm and 57x72x563mm (without stand), respectively.
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