Google Reportedly Working on Apple AirTag Alternative As Personal Tracker Market Sees Growth and Consolidation

Zinger Key Points
  • The GPS tracker space has been heating up with over $1 billion in AirTags sold.
  • Google is reportedly working on an alternative to the AirTag to compete with the popular Apple product

Apple Inc.’s AAPL AirTags have remained dominant in the Bluetooth tracker market, with people spending billions to help keep track of their things. 

But there hasn’t been a viable alternative. Tile, which only tracks using the owner’s device, lost its competitive edge after Apple implemented tracking features associated with pinging nearby phones.

MaxTracker, a startup raising funds on StartEngine, is improving on Tile and AirTag technology. MaxTracker is creating a 5G device that uses GPS, an improvement on the AirTag. Even with this advantage, Apple is still stiff competition.

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It seems Apple might soon see competition in the space. Recent leaks suggest Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGLE Google might be developing a tracker of its own. 

Kuba Wojciechowski is considered a reliable leaker on Twitter, and he recently discovered references that indicate Google is creating a Bluetooth tracker codenamed Grogu. 

This is significant because Google, which has its own line of phones, develops the operating system for Samsung’s popular Galaxy phones. Google can add much of the functionality the AirTag offers to Samsung phones, effectively becoming an Android alternative to Apple’s technology.

The space has already seen quite a bit of consolidation and competition. Popular family tracking app Life360 acquired Tile and JioBit, two companies making trackers, and Apple recently hit $1 billion in AirTag sales.


With an Android alternative potentially coming to the market, this could mean the space will continue to heat up. 

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Posted In: NewsStartupsTechAlternative investmentsMaxTrackerStartEnginestartup crowdfunding
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