When AirTags first hit the market last year, a common question was whether Apple's trackers could be used as trackers for dogs, cats and other pets. Now, the first Find My-compatible dog tags are officially available, but there are a few things to keep in mind before attaching them to your furry friend.
PetSmart is currently selling YIP smart tags, which are touted as a way to "help you find the most precious things in life." It is fully customizable and can be engraved just like any dog tag, allowing you to engrave your pet's name and any other contact information you might want someone to have quick access to.
YIP smart tags differ from traditional dog tags in their smart features. The tag integrates with Apple's Find My network, which means you can track your pet through the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad. It also means a YIP smart tag can tap into the vast Find My network, so its location will always be updated whenever it's near an iPhone user.
The company explains:
YIP Smart Tags are engravable ID tags that help you find the most precious things in life. Your tags communicate with hundreds of millions of Apple devices on the Apple Find My network. In just a few simple steps, you can add your YIP Smart Tags to the Apple Find My app on your iPhone or iPad. In those tense moments, go to the Find My app and see where your Smart Tag is on a map or put it into Lost Mode when your Smart Tag comes into contact with another Apple device. Your iPhone will notify you.
YIP smart tags can be ordered from the PetSmart website for $34.99 and are available in rose gold or black. It's touted to be waterproof and resistant to the elements, and it includes a loop to easily attach it to your pet's collar.
Shortly after AirTag was released, Apple executive Kaiann Drance noted in an interview that AirTag was designed to track items, not people or pets. Drance makes it clear that if people use AirTags to track their pets, they will have to "ensure that their moving pet comes within range of the device in the Find My network so that its location can be tracked."
As with any dog owner As anyone can attest, loose dogs move quickly and without any particular pattern. Your puppy could be within range of your iPhone one second and then three blocks away the next. This kind of fast-moving, real-time location tracking isn't necessarily something AirTag and the Find My network excel at—especially when the dog is completely out of range of your iPhone.
If you know your dog might just be wandering around, an AirTag or something like a YIP smart tag might be a good fallback option, but generally, you're better off using a dedicated GPS dog collar Do pet tracking.
One of the best accessories is the Fi Smart Dog Collar. What sets the Fi Smart Dog Collar apart from the likes of AirTag or YIP smart tags is its built-in GPS and LTE connectivity. This means you can track your dog in real time, whether or not the pup is within range of another iPhone.
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