Tile’s new Bluetooth trackers feature an SOS button for emergencies
These are just as much ‘family safety devices’ as they are Bluetooth trackers
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It’s been three years since Tile last launched a set of new Bluetooth trackers, and the item-finding landscape has shifted dramatically since then. Back then, Apple hadn’t launched its wildly popular AirTag yet, and Google hadn’t even started tracking items with Android’s recently launched Find My Device service.
Now, the company that popularised item trackers in the first place is hoping to reclaim its former glory with a new series of item trackers. include a new multi-function button that triggers an SOS alert to a circle of your friends, family and emergency contacts whenever you’re in trouble.
Launching four new trackers today, Tile’s new line-up includes a new Tile mate (£24.99, Tile.com), Tile pro (£34.99, Tile.com), Tile slim (£29.99, Tile.com) and the Tile sticker (£24.99, Tile.com). As well as the new multi-function SOS button (which can also be set to ring your phone), the trackers each have a longer Bluetooth range and a louder speaker.
Acquired by “family safety” company Life360 in 2021, the latest range of Tile trackers further integrate Tile’s trackers into Life360’s ecosystem, making them just as much “family safety devices” as they are Bluetooth trackers.
Tile and Life360 accounts can now be linked together, letting Tile users set up Life360 Circles, who will be notified when you click the button on the device three times. The Life360 app can also be used to locate and ring any shared Tile items or ring a connected smartphone.
Earlier this year, Life360 announced that it will be launching Find with Life360, a direct competitor to Apple and Google’s Find My networks. It will use a combination of both Life360’s 70 million users, as well as Hubble Network’s satellites, to pinpoint the exact location of your Tile tracker, even when it is out of range of your iPhone or Android. That would be a big boost to Tile and those looking for an alternative to Apple’s AirTag or Samsung’s SmartTag 2.
Disappointingly, Tile hasn’t released a Bluetooth tracker with ultra-wideband (UWB) tech, meaning Apple’s AirTag (£28, Amazon.co.uk), Samsung’s Galaxy SmartTag 2 (£24.99, Amazon.co.uk) and the recently announced Motorola Moto Tag (£34.99, Motorola.co.uk) remain the only item finders that can precisely find your stuff with turn-by-turn directions.
In 2021, Tile announced a UWB-based tracker called the Tile ultra, which was supposed to launch in 2022. While the company told The Independentat the time that it still had the Tile ultra in its product pipeline, that might not be the case two years on.
“We prioritise our product development and launches based on what we believe will provide the best value to our customers,” a Life360 spokesperson said. “At this time, our focus lies in further delivering our vision of a cross-platform solution that enables location-based finding of people, pets and things. This is exemplified by the greater integration of Tile into the Life360 platform with this latest launch as well as opening up Tile’s Finding Network to our 70+ million Life360 members.
While these latest trackers don’t have any UWB tech, they have some upgrades over their predecessors and are expected to get the new and precise GPS tracking features in 2025. Here’s what’s new, with reviews of the new trackers coming shortly.
Tile mate, 2024: £24.99, Tile.com
The new Tile mate keeps its status as the company’s cheapest and smallest “everything tracker” and features a built-in keyring. Coming in four different colours, it features a louder ring than before and has a larger 106m range (30m longer than the previous model). It has a non-replaceable battery that lasts three years.
An SOS alert can also be triggered by clicking the button three times and is free for all Life360 users. You can also see where Tile devices are on the Life360 app. It’s £5 more expensive than the previous Tile mate (£19.99, Amazon.co.uk), however.
Tile slim, 2024: £29.99, Tile.com
The Tile slim is the company’s thinnest tracker. Designed for wallets, passports and your luggage, it again features a louder speaker, a longer 106m Bluetooth range, a built-in keyring hole and the same multi-function button that can send SOS alerts to your Life360 circle in an emergency. It’s available in four fun colours and costs the same as the old Tile slim from 2022. It has a non-replaceable battery that will last three years.
Tile sticker, 2024: £24.99, Tile.com
The Tile sticker has a pretty niche use case but is great for those who are always losing their remotes down the back of the sofa. Featuring an adhesive back, it sticks to things you lose the most, whether it’s the TV remote or your bike. The Bluetooth range stays the same at 76m, but the speaker inside is louder, so you’ll be able to hear it more easily underneath the pillows. Again, it features a multi-function button which can ring your phone or send out an SOS alert. It costs the same as the old Tile Sticker.
Tile pro, 2024: £34.99, Tile.com
Tile’s best-in-class Bluetooth tracker features the longest Bluetooth range out of all of its devices. The new Tile Pro can be tracked up to 152m away – 30m further than before, and it features a battery that lasts a year and can be replaced. It has the loudest ring out of all the trackers, has an in-built keyring hole and boasts that new multi-function button for pinging your phone or sending out an SOS alert. Tile will launch the Tile pro in October.
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