How AirTags Work:
How AirTags Work
Credit: ByteByteGo
How It Works
AirTags operate through a simple but powerful process:
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Bluetooth Broadcasting Each AirTag continuously broadcasts an encrypted Bluetooth signal containing a rotating identifier. This ensures privacy while enabling tracking.
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Network Coverage When any iPhone or iPad comes within range of an AirTag, it anonymously picks up this signal. The beauty is in the numbers - with over a billion Apple devices worldwide, there's almost always a device nearby to relay the location.
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Location Updates The nearby Apple device encrypts the AirTag's location and sends it to Apple's servers. Only the owner's account can decrypt this data. During AirPinpoint setup, you can choose to use your own iCloud account or let AirPinpoint manage it. If you bring your own iCloud account we reccomend using dedicated accounts for your tags.
Network Architecture
Find My Network Architecture
┌──────────────┐ (1) Bluetooth LE ┌──────────────┐
│ AirTag │ ─────────────────────► │ Nearby Apple │
└──────────────┘ Encrypted │ Devices │
Broadcast └──────────────┘
│
│ (2) Encrypted
│ Location Data
▼
┌───── ──────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐
│ AirPinpoint│ ◄───────────────── │ Apple's Find My │
│ API │ (3) Encrypted │ Servers │
└────────────┘ Location └──────────────────────┘Real-World Performance
Battery Life Comparison
Device Type │ Battery Life (months)
│ 0 3 6 9 12 15
──────────────┼────────────────────────
AirTag │ ████████████████░░░
GPS Tracker │ ██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░Location Update Frequency
Environment │ Average Time Between Updates
───────────┼───────────────────────────────
Urban │ ██ 0.5-5 minutes
Suburban │ ████ 5-10 minutes
Rural │ ██████ 15-30 minutes
Remote │ ████████ 30+ minutesAirPinpoint Integration
AirPinpoint Architecture
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ AirTags │◄──── Bluetooth Signal ─────►│ Find My │
└──────────────┘ │ Network │
▲ └──────────────┘
│
│
┌──────────────────────┐ │
│ AirPinpoint API │◄───────────┘
└──────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│Your Business │ │ Real-time │ │ Analytics │
│ Logic │ │ Location │ │ Dashboard │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘AirPinpoint transforms this powerful network into a business-ready API, allowing you to track unlimited devices while maintaining Apple's high privacy standards. Whether you're tracking inventory, managing assets, or building location-aware applications, you can leverage the Find My network's global coverage without managing complex infrastructure.