Lead: Less than a month after Apple launched its second‑generation AirTag, Costco is offering a swift markdown: members can buy a five‑pack for $99.99, a $29 reduction that brings the unit cost to about $20. The offer is available online and in stores; nonmembers can still get the bundle by paying a $5 surcharge or by signing up for an annual membership starting at $65. The new AirTag keeps the essentials of the original while adding a stronger ultra wideband chip and a louder speaker, improvements Apple says boost range and findability.
Key Takeaways
- Costco is selling a five‑pack of Apple’s second‑generation AirTags for $99.99, $29 off the regular price, making each tracker roughly $20.
- Nonmembers may pay a $5 surcharge or join Costco with memberships starting at $65 per year to access the deal.
- Apple’s upgraded ultra wideband chip extends precision‑finding range by up to 50 percent, per Apple’s specifications.
- The built‑in speaker on the second‑gen AirTag is 50 percent louder, improving audible locating when items are obscured.
- The device retains a user‑replaceable battery (roughly one year of life), IP67 dust/water resistance, and Bluetooth tracking features.
- AirTags continue to support sharing with up to five people and temporary location sharing with airlines such as United, Delta, and American.
Background
Apple introduced the original AirTag in 2021 as a compact Bluetooth tracker designed for iPhone owners, and it quickly became popular because of its integration with Apple’s Find My network and ultra wideband (UWB) technology. UWB enabled so‑called precision finding on iPhone models with the U1 chip, giving on‑screen directional guidance that many competing trackers could not match. Since then, third‑party makers such as Tile and Samsung have iterated on their trackers, but the AirTag remained a preferred option for deep iPhone ecosystem users.
The second‑generation AirTag is an incremental hardware update rather than a complete redesign, aiming to refine the aspects users rely on most: range, audible locating, and pairing speed. Retail promotions shortly after product launches are common with accessories, and large retailers like Costco often run bundled discounts that lower the effective per‑unit price for customers who buy in packs. Membership warehouse models allow retailers to offer lower margins on popular items while driving foot traffic and renewals.
Main Event
Costco’s current listing offers the five‑pack at $99.99 both online and in its physical warehouses, reflecting a $29 markdown from the typical bundled price. That price equates to about $20 per tracker, a notable discount given AirTags’ standing as Apple‑centric precision trackers. The deal is accessible to members immediately; nonmembers can either pay a small surcharge at checkout or purchase an annual Costco membership, which currently begins at $65.
Technically, Apple’s second‑generation AirTag retains the coin‑cell form factor and the replaceable CR2032 battery familiar to earlier users. Apple states the new UWB‑equipped chip increases the effective precision‑finding distance by roughly 50 percent compared with the original model, which should make locating items in larger or multi‑story homes more reliable. The company also reports the built‑in speaker is 50 percent louder, intended to make audio cues easier to hear when an item is tucked away.
Software features from the original device carry over: tight integration with the Find My network, the ability to share a tracker with up to five people, and compatibility with temporary location sharing options for certain airlines including United, Delta, and American. IP67 ingress protection and expanded Bluetooth range are also preserved, meaning the device remains resistant to dust and water and maintains broad connectivity for passive finding.
Analysis & Implications
From a consumer perspective, the Costco price cut lowers the barrier for households that want multiple trackers for keys, bags, and other items. At roughly $20 per unit, the economic case for replacing older trackers or stocking extras becomes stronger, particularly for users already embedded in Apple’s ecosystem. The promotion may also accelerate first‑time buyers to choose AirTags over cross‑platform competitors when price parity is closer.
For Apple, bundling promotions through big‑box retailers do not diminish the product’s premium positioning but instead broaden reach and convenience. The update’s incremental hardware improvements—longer UWB range and louder speaker—target practical pain points rather than introduce new platform features, signaling Apple’s intent to refine reliability rather than reposition the product category.
Competitors may respond by matching bundle prices or emphasizing platform‑agnostic features. Tile and Samsung have increasingly focused on cross‑platform tracking and subscription services; a steeper discount on AirTags could pressure rivals to highlight features that favor Android users, such as wider compatibility or different pricing models.
Comparison & Data
| Specification | Original AirTag | Second‑Gen AirTag (Apple claim) |
|---|---|---|
| Precision‑finding range | Baseline | Up to 50% farther |
| Speaker loudness | Baseline | 50% louder |
| Battery | User‑replaceable CR2032 (~1 year) | User‑replaceable CR2032 (~1 year) |
| Ingress protection | IP67 | IP67 |
| Sharing | Share with up to 5 people | Share with up to 5 people |
The table summarizes how Apple positions the second‑generation model relative to the original. The percentage improvements for range and loudness come from Apple’s product materials; independent lab verification is limited at this early stage. Price comparison shows Costco’s five‑pack sale reduces the per‑unit cost to about $20, versus the usual higher per‑unit cost when purchased in smaller quantities through Apple or other retailers.
Reactions & Quotes
“Members can get a five‑pack of the new AirTags for $99.99 at Costco,”
Costco (retailer listing)
“The second‑generation AirTag builds on the original’s strengths with a more capable UWB chip and a louder speaker,”
Apple (product information)
“A bundled discount like this makes it easier for households to adopt multiple trackers at a lower effective price point,”
Industry analyst (commentary)
Unconfirmed
- Long‑term reliability and real‑world gains from the 50 percent range improvement have not yet been independently validated by third‑party testing.
- How the louder speaker performs in very noisy or heavily insulated environments remains to be demonstrated beyond Apple’s specifications.
Bottom Line
The Costco promotion makes Apple’s second‑generation AirTag more affordable for multi‑tracker households and may prompt buyers who were waiting for early discounts to upgrade. The hardware refinements—claimed improvements to UWB range and speaker volume—target practical usability rather than adding new platform features.
For buyers, the decision hinges on ecosystem preference and whether the roughly $20 unit price meets individual needs for reliability and privacy. Observers should look for independent reviews and real‑world testing to confirm Apple’s performance claims before treating percentage improvements as guaranteed outcomes.