Apple's AirTags may seem like simple devices for locating lost items

But they could be the next step in augmented reality

Here's why:

The setup: Little locator devices like Tile typically use Bluetooth signals to track down your keys but AirTags use something called "ultra-wideband"

It bounces signals around to iPhone 11s and later (bc they also have ultra-wideband) that are much more precise than Bluetooth

Why it's cool: Bouncing all those advanced little signals around creates a "a hidden digital layer" to the world

For AirTags, that means you'll be directed using arrows to the left corner of your duvet instead of just the bed, when you lose your keys in the morning

For the wider world of AR, at its simplest, that info could make games like Pokemon Go more realistic

(IRL items will be better mapped onto the app, distance to Pokemon will be more accurate)

Zoom out a bit: By noticing obstructions between two signals, ultra-wideband devices could work out what lies b/e them, like a fridge or coffee table

Cool for you and me, amazing for people who are visually-impaired

Caveat: This all only works within the Apple ecosystem at the moment, but Tile has encouraged Congress to take a look into AirTags on antitrust grounds

...reportedly in part bc they want to use ultra-wideband, too

+ And if Tile + other devices could all get ultra-wideband and bounce signals around to each other...that digital layer/map of the world would get way more precise

That would open the door for a lot of cool (and often practical, not just Snapchat hot dogs) things AR could do

rest of piece here, but it looks nicer in your inbox if you're not signed up yet ;) @MorningBrew https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/stories/2021/04/30/apples-airtags-go-sale