Google Pixel Tag: a $29 AirTag rival with UWB — but you'll wait until November
Google has launched its first item tracker, the Pixel Tag, at $29 — the same price as Apple's AirTag. Announced August 12 at the Made by Google event alongside the Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5, the tag ships November 11, meaning a three-month wait between ordering and getting one in your hands. The company confirmed Ultra-Wideband (UWB) support at launch, closing the precision-finding gap that had separated AirTag from cheaper crowd-based trackers.
The hardware
The Pixel Tag comes in a capsule-shaped stainless steel body with a matte finish, rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. It's available in a single color — a light grey called Fog. Battery life is claimed at around one year from a standard CR2032 coin cell, which you can replace yourself. No subscription, no proprietary charger.
Google Pixel Tag in Fog — the tracker's only available color at launch.
Finding your stuff
Tracking runs through Google's Find Hub network. Move close to a lost item and the tag plays a loud audio alert. There's also reverse search: press a button on the tag and it rings your phone. Pixel Watch users can trigger the tag through the Find Hub app or a browser, and Pixel Buds owners can ask Gemini to make it beep.
When the tag is out of Bluetooth range, nearby Android phones — any Android 9 or later device — relay its encrypted location without exposing anyone's data. Google says even its own engineers can't read your location information, thanks to end-to-end encryption. You can share tag access with up to 10 people simultaneously.
The precision-finding feature uses UWB for close-range direction finding. Getting the most out of it, though, requires a phone with Bluetooth 6.0 and Android 16 — or a Pixel 10 series device — as Engadget clarifies that Bluetooth Channel Sounding, the technology behind the sharpest tracking accuracy, has that hardware requirement. Most current Android phones won't qualify yet, so basic Bluetooth finding will be the experience for most buyers at launch.
The CR2032 battery is user-replaceable and rated for about a year of use.
Price and availability
Pre-orders opened August 12 via the Google Store. A single Pixel Tag costs $29; a four-pack runs $99. In Europe, pricing is €34.99 for one and €109.99 for four — virtually identical to AirTag 2's European price. Shipment begins November 11, per the Google official blog.
The November ship date is the main caveat. That's a long pre-order window for an accessory, and it gives Apple and Samsung room to respond before most buyers actually receive one. If you're already in the Android ecosystem and don't need a tracker this month, the Pixel Tag looks like a solid pick — UWB precision, replaceable battery, and a price that doesn't ask you to pay a premium for Google's name on the front.
