Google Launches the Pixel Tag to Give Android Its Own AirTag Rival

Google wants to close the tracking gap for Android users with a new lost-item finder that undercuts competitors on thickness. The Pixel Tag costs $29.99 and uses both Bluetooth and ultra-wideband technology to guide owners toward missing items through visual distance and directional arrows. Unlike round competitors, the oval device measures 0.2 inches thick, giving it a slimmer profile that sits flat on keychains or inside wallets.

That slim build comes with a notable hardware tradeoff. Apple builds NFC into its trackers so finders can tap the device to open a web page with owner contact details. Google left out NFC entirely, forcing the Pixel Tag to rely instead on a crowdsourced network of over a billion active Android devices to relay lost locations back to a map.

Our read: Omitting NFC removes a crucial lifeline for finders who stumble across lost gear without opening a dedicated app, meaning Google is betting entirely on passive background detection rather than active community participation. Owners can still trigger an 80-decibel onboard chime or press a physical button twice to ring their misplaced phone in return.

Power comes from a user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery rated for up to one year of initial use.

The hardware also carries an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, letting it survive depths of up to one meter for thirty minutes.

Watch whether the lack of tap-to-contact NFC slows down item recovery when keys or bags disappear outside the reach of the Android network.