AirTags accessories are showing up in the wild ahead of Apple’s “Spring Loaded” event

Various holders designed for Apple’s unannounced personal item trackers, dubbed AirTags, have been popping up in retailer listings ahead of the company’s “Spring Loaded” special event.


STORY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • AirTags keychains spotted on eBay, Etsy and Walmart.
  • Earlier AirTags leaks came via Nomad and Cyrill.
  • AirTags should be announced at today’s event.

An image showing supposed AirTags holders from a third-party

AirTags accessories showing up in the wild

Third-party holders, silicon straps and other accessories designed for Apple’s unannounced trackers are now popping up online, with just a few hours left until the special event.

The Verge reports that eBay and Etsy sellers are already offering keychains to attach the AirTags trackers to a set of keys. Even Walmart is now selling these. MacRumors has published leaked photos of apparent silicone straps that have appeared online, potentially allowing the trackers to be strapped to bigger items, like your wallet or the AirPods case.

MacRumors has received a pair of images of one particularly interesting set of straps that our source says are made of a similar material as the fluoroelastomer Apple uses for its Apple Watch Sport Bands. The band design appears to have a snap closure to secure the AirTag and a short leash with an opening at the opposite end to allow the strap to be secured to an object to be tracked.

The tentatively named AirTags are Tile-like trackers designed to keep track of everyday items. Your AirTags will appear under the Items tab in the Find My app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. The product is expected to use Bluetooth and ultra-wideband networking technology via the Apple U1 chip found in the iPhone 11/12 family, the new Apple Watch and the HomePod mini.

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It’s not unusual for vendors to promote new offerings for unannounced Apple products. Being among the first to offer, say, a holder for your new AirTags can make a big difference in terms of sales. Both accessory vendors and Apple know this, and third-party companies have their own ways of obtaining physical dimensions for unannounced products in advance.

The AirTags are expected to be unveiled at today’s “Spring Loaded” event at 10am PT alongside news iPads, a third-generation Apple Pencil and several other products. The prerecorded online presentation will be live-streamed on Apple.com, through the TV app on the Apple TV and via the company’s official YouTube channel.

Stay tuned to iDB as we’ll be providing continuous remote coverage of major announcements.

Image Credit: Duan Rui / Twitter