Make things merry with a gift any Apple fan will appreciate. Photo: Luke Southern/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for an Apple fan in your life, there’s one surprisingly simple answer: Get them an AirTag. Or a bunch of them.
For a variety of reasons, AirTags — Apple’s Mentos-shaped tracking tags that help users quickly locate lost items — make the ultimate stocking stuffer for anybody in the Apple ecosystem.
Why AirTags make great gifts
If you buy an AirTag for the Apple lover in your life, you know you’re getting something they will appreciate. Even if they don’t know it when they unwrap the gift. And buying an AirTag — or a four-pack of AirTags — comes with none of the usual problems that commonly accompany gift shopping.
Here’s why AirTags make the perfect stocking stuffer.
1. They are affordable. A single AirTag retails for $29 from Apple, but you can almost always find one for less. Apple sells four-packs for $99, but you likely can snag even greater savings from third-party sellers like Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy. (We saw a four-pack for less than $75 around Black Friday, but you’ll likely pay more at this point.) It’s not inconceivable that you could buy a four-pack, bust it open, and hand out individual AirTags to everyone on your list.
2. AirTags will “fit” anyone. Unlike a sweater or socks, AirTags are guaranteed to fit the recipient. As long as the person owns a recent iPhone, iPad, Mac or iPod touch, they can run Apple’s brilliant Find My app. And that will let them keep tabs on their new AirTag. They likely already know about Find My, and an AirTag will slide seamlessly into that experience.
3. They are small. Measuring just 1.26 inches in diameter and 0.31 inches high, AirTags are tiny enough to stuff into any stocking, whether in their box or “naked.” But they’re still large enough to harbor a surprisingly loud speaker that helps locate lost items.
4. Nobody can have too many of them. Once a person enters the AirTag world, it becomes instantly obvious that there are endless uses for Apple’s tracking tags. Attaching them to keychains or hiding them in luggage tags remain the marquee applications, but that’s just the start. You can slip one in anything from a backpack to a car’s glove compartment to put an end to misplaced items large and small. Honestly, no purse, pet or passport should be without one.
So many uses for AirTags …
It’s much easier to locate a missing cat if she’s wearing a collar with an AirTag in it.Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
5. They accessorize well. Because of the seemingly endless list of applications, third-party manufacturers dreamed up a shimmering constellation of AirTag accessories. You can find dog collars, stealth bike mounts, slimline wallets, passport holders and more. There’s even an AirTag case for the Apple TV’s Siri Remote that can make searching for the clicker in between the couch cushions an incredibly simple task. That ever-expanding universe means you can pair an AirTag with an appropriate accessory for an easy last-minute two-fer. (By the way, the Cult of Mac Store stocks a wide array of excellent AirTag accessories.)
6. Apple keeps making AirTags better. Cupertino continues to roll out AirTag firmware updates. Some addressed early concerns about stalkers using AirTags to harass victims. Others just make the tiny trackers more reliable.
7. AirTags will evoke joy all year long. Unlike some other gifts that sparkle like champagne for a few minutes, then quickly lose their appeal, an AirTag will reward the recipient all year long. (The easy-to-replace and inexpensive CR2032 batteries that power AirTags last at least that long as well.) Every time your loved one uses Apple’s brilliant Find My app to quickly locate their AWOL car keys, they will breathe a sigh of relief. And they will think fondly of you — the person who gave them the perfect gift.