The great 2021 tracker device race is officially off and running, with Samsung charging out of the gate. While previously rumored (AirTags Competitors Overview) and covered by us at AirTagReviews.com, Samsung has now confirmed and released its $29.99 Galaxy SmartTag tracker, thrusting the mobile and electronics giant into competition with Tile trackers and Apple’s upcoming AirTags. Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Overview $29.99 launch price (check Amazon for sales) per tracker — $5 less expensive than the Tile Pro Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology Compatible exclusively with Samsung Galaxy devices (not iPhone-compatible and not even compatible with other Android devices) Uses Samsung’s proprietary SmartThings app to find missing items Initial version does not use Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for precision location / indoor-GPS features – even though recent Samsung Galaxy phones have UWB chips built-in Samsung promises a later version with Ultra-Wideband, to be called the “Galaxy SmartTag +”, which will launch sometime later in 2021 Samsung launched SmartTags alongside its new S21 Ultra flagship phone – and includes a $200 accessory credit + 1 free SmartTag with every pre-order purchase, meaning millions of SmartTags will soon be in the wild How do Galaxy SmartTags Work? SmartTags have a range of 130 yards (~120 meters) when using “Galaxy Find Network” Find lost items that are in-range by tapping the ring button in the SmartThings app, which will make your SmartTag ring your normal ringtone (volume is controllable), and follow the sound to your lost item Find lost items that far away – or even offline – using the Galaxy Find Network by having other peoples’ Galaxy devices alert you to where they’ve seen the bluetooth ID of the missing tracker Can be used as button (e.g., if they’re on your keys) for IoT (internet of things) home automation – so push a button on SmartTags to turn your lights on Detailed Samsung SmartTags Technical Specs Maximum SmartTags bluetooth range of 130 yards is assuming no obstruction (e.g., clear field of view) Samsung SmartThings compatibility is limited: SmartTags require initial setup on a modern Samsung Galaxy smartphone running Android 8.0 or higher with at least 2.0GB of RAM; also requires an opt-in consent for location tracking through SmartThings Find app Button on SmartTags initially does nothing – absolutely nothing – when shipped; needs to be connected to a users’ home automations internet-of-things and set to trigger an action, for it to be useful SmartTags Weight: 0.459 oz (13 grams) SmartTags Dimensions: 1.54 x 1.54 x 0.39 inches (3.9 x 3.9 x 1.0 cm) SmartTags Battery Type: SmartTags contain a user-replaceable CR2032 (same battery technology as the $35 Tile Pro, which has a one-year battery life – see our Tile Tracker vs. AirTags Comparison) Samsung SmartTags Initial Review We’ll have to wait until they ship to give our formal review, but at first glance, Samsung Galaxy SmartTags look like a decent competitor to the Tile Pro with the big caveat that you have to be fully committed to the Samsung Galaxy phone ecosystem, as SmartTags are only compatible with Galaxy phones. This is a highly limiting and a huge oversight. Imagine losing your backpack and phone – and your friends only have iPhones or other Android phones, but not Galaxy phones – they can’t help you find it. And the limitations to the Galaxy Find Network make this decision even worse – you need someone with a modern Galaxy smart phone — who opted in to allow it to help find missing items — to walk within 130 yards of your missing item for you to find it. That said, Samsung sold roughly 2x as many Galaxy phones in Q3 2020 than Apple sold iPhones, so other than the opt-in, perhaps the network will be decent Pricing is strong, coming in $5 less than Samsung’s targeted competitor, the Tile Pro Battery life is not yet marketed, but should be expected to be similar to the Tile Pro’s 1-year battery life, given the Galaxy SmartTags use the same CR2032 user-replaceable battery Lack of Ultra-Wideband means that Apple AirTags still have the chance to be first-to-market with this groundbreaking “indoor-GPS” technology – Samsung seems to have rushed SmartTags out with just Bluetooth BLE 5.0, and promise to release the “SmartTags +” with UWB compatibility down the line Size and weight are competitive Color choices – currently just black – are limited at launch. That said, they refer to the color option as being black throughout, so it looks like they’re set up to launch other colors (and perhaps special editions) later – you heard the rumor here first