Kuo: Apple’s new iPhones and Tile-like tracking device will feature ultra-wideband tech

Apple's rumored Tile-like accessory discovered in iOS 13

Apple’s upcoming iPhones and Tile-like device will feature ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, according to a new research note from Ming-Chi Kuo obtained by MacRumors. The short-range radio tech uses little power and offers more precise indoor positioning than Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

For those who haven’t been keeping up with the rumors, Apple is believed to be working on a tiny, round tracking device similar to the Tile. It can be attached to every-day items like keys or a backpack, enabling them to be tracked down using Apple’s ‘Find My’ app if they are misplaced.

Code found within the iOS 13 betas offers a number of details about the purported ‘tag’ device, including its physical design and that it has a removable battery. It’s also deeply integrated with the ‘Find My’ app, with a new Items tab asking users to sign in to locate ‘friends and devices.’

It’s unclear at this time if Apple’s tags will only feature UWB, or if they’ll also support more mainstream tech like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. But we shouldn’t have to wait long to find out. Apple will be unveiling its new iPhones, and possibly the new tracking device, at a media event next week.

Source: MacRumors