Never Lose an Item Due to a Dead Battery With These Item Trackers
Item trackers like the AirTag and the Galaxy SmartTag are convenient ways to keep track of personal items. However, their batteries need to be replaced, creating increasingly more trash. To solve this issue, Chipolo launched a pair of trackers that not only feature a rechargeable battery but also are compatible with iPhones or Android devices.
A little bit late for the Summer travel season, the new accessories feature the two most common form factors: The Chipolo Card has the dimensions of a slightly thicker credit card, designed to fit in a standard wallet, while the Chipolo Loop is a keyring-style tracker with a flexible loop to be attached to bags, keys, and other items.
According to the company, a single charge can last up to six months. To recharge, each of the trackers uses a different procedure: While the Chipolo Loop recharges through a USB-C connection, the Chipolo Card uses Qi wireless charging, in theory also working with phones that offer reverse charging.
While the Loop is not the first keyring-style tracker to feature USB-C charging—rivals such as Pebblebee offered the option for a while—, the Chipolo Card is the first card-sized tracker we remember to not require proprietary cables or disposable batteries. Additionally, both models are IP67-rated and can resist dips in water and small particle ingress.
As mentioned above, the new Chipolo trackers are compatible with either the Apple Find My or Google Find Hub networks. It is important to note that the trackers can only work with one network at a time and need to be reset and paired again to switch between them.
Besides the standard features found in each network, the company offers the Chipolo app to use additional features like Find your Phone (by double pressing the button on the tracker), ringtone customization, and volume adjustments.
According to Chipolo, the Card can reach up to 110 dB, while the Loop reaches 125 dB, up from 105 and 120 dB in previous models, respectively. Another upgrade is the improved range, of up to 120 meters (400 ft)—30% better than the Point model we tested, and double the previous generation Card trackers.
One feature that is not available in the trackers, however, is the precise UWB (ultra-wide band) tracking found in both the Apple AirTag, and Samsung SmartTag 2 we tested a while ago. When asked by nextpit why the devices lack support for the technology, Primož Zelenšek, co-founder and CEO at Chipolo, replied:
"Chipolo products don't currently offer UWB finding. This is because Apple's Find My network doesn't yet support UWB for third-party devices, and only a limited number of Android phones have UWB capability. Integrating UWB would also significantly increase the cost of our products. We've chosen not to raise prices for all users when only a small portion would benefit from UWB.
For the specs-nerds out there, the use of an updated Bluetooth 6.0 controller on the trackers can open the possibility of a future update with the Channel Sounding feature, which can pinpoint the tracker's distance, albeit without the precise directions instructions available on UWB. Chipolo’s CEO confirmed the information to nextpit:
“For this feature to work, one would require both a compatible Bluetooth 6.0 phone (more phones are now launching with it) as well as Google and Apple to add it into their Find My/Find Hub app support. Once it happens, our products are ready to support it."
Both Chipolo Card and Loop item trackers are available for pre-orders on Amazon and the Chipolo website, and are scheduled to reach store shelves in September. The Card is available in black, while the Loop will be sold in six colors.
Disclaimer: Chipolo invited nextpit to the launch event in Slovenia.
