I am looking for recommendations for a useful bluetooth tracker to follow my keys, camera, backpack, kid, whatever. It should have the following properties:
useful also for outdoor searches
no monthly payments (only one time purchase costs)
exchangeable battery
I am using an iPhone
Less important:
small
cheap
some privacy (not sure what is reasonable here)
If anyone has experience with this type of equipment and can give positive or negative feedback - I would be very thankful. My first research showed this here:
My understanding is that BT trackers require a phone (or similar device). Once you are out of range, it tells you you are out of range, and maybe records where/when that happened. From then on, you cannot really “follow” anything.
Since you have an iPhone, I would go for one of the zillion AirTag variations, or clones.
I did not do any extensive research but I think there was a difference between indoor devices with a range up to 9 m and more outdoor related devices which work up to 150 m. But that is more dangerous half-knowledge than anything else.
But even for the AirTag variations there might be recommendations, right?!
AFAIK class 1 BT devices (eg like the Tile Pro) have a longer nominal range, “up to” 150m or similar, but that is a theoretical possibility with nothing but air between the devices.
I looked into these technologies briefly for bike theft prevention (I never lost anything valuable in my live, so I am not worried about accidental loss), and came to the conclusion that only real solutions are devices with SIM cards that can broadcast their locations. But ended up not purchasing any of them.
To make things useful beyond “I know i still have this with me” you want a lot of people in that eco system. So yes for IPhone users airtags might be best.
And since there is so much abuse of devices like this consider getting