Will an AirTag work as an effective GPS for a dog that likes to wander?
Will an AirTag work as an effective gps for a dog that likes to wander?
Does it relay location fast enough?
is it reliable?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 13, iOS 16
Question marked as
Apple did not design the AirTag as a tracking device. Tracking is best done with GPS, not Bluetooth.
The AirTag also relies on the Apple Find My Network, which consists of literally millions of iPhones. As such, the tag would have to be near (within Bluetooth range ~30-40') of that phone, in order for that phone to relay the tag's ID and the phone's GPS location to the Apple servers over the Internet. This is where you would see the tag's location updates on the Find My app on your iPhone.
Since the tag only transmits its ID once every 3-5 mins, the likelihood that an iPhone is in range decreases significantly in less populated areas.
If your goal is to track your dog, you have two choices:
- Get a dedicated GPS pet tracking device. Note that these devices do have some significant disadvantages as well ... specifically battery life. One company that offers these is Whistle.
- Get the animal chipped should it disappear.
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