Apple adds a warning to AirTag packaging due to the risk of battery swallowing by children
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced that Apple has added a warning label to the AirTag packaging, which indicates the need to keep the battery type away from children.
Here's What We Know
This decision is associated with a serious risk of injury or even death in case of swallowing. In addition, the company has added a corresponding warning symbol inside the battery compartment of the device itself.
The changes were made following the introduction of the 'Reese's Law' in March 2024. This law is designed to prevent accidents involving small, round, coin-type batteries. It was named after Reese Hemsmith, a child who died in 2020 after swallowing a battery of this type from a remote control.
AirTag. Illustration: MacRumors
The CPSC did not specify whether these changes apply only to the United States or to other countries where AirTags are sold. As many devices have already reached users without warnings, Apple has added a battery hazard alert to the Find My app, which appears whenever a user receives a notification that the battery in an AirTag needs to be replaced.
The company also seems to be preparing to launch a new AirTag 2 model in 2025. The new device is expected to have an improved range for tracking objects, allowing it to be used over longer distances.
In addition, the new model is rumoured to have a built-in speaker that will be harder to remove. This is done as a security measure to prevent cases of espionage, as previously AirTag could be used for tracking without the owner's knowledge.
Source: macReports
