Monday, November 4, 2024

Hands-on: The Moto Tag is the most capable Find My Device tracker, even before UWB

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Motorola announcing a Find My Device tracker called the Moto Tag was not on my 2024 bingo card, but it happened nonetheless. After using it for a little bit, I genuinely think this is the best FMD option out there.

The state of Google’s Find My Device network isn’t incredible. The company made some decisions early on to prioritize privacy over functionality. Essentially, the network only works in “high-traffic areas,” which severely limits how well any Find My Device tracker works in anything but a city.

Users have the option to allow their own devices to find tags in low-traffic areas, though it isn’t on by default, and most will not turn that feature on. Google doesn’t exactly promote the functionality.

Even still, the foundation for FMD trackers to work is there, it just requires Google to make a couple of changes. The simple existence of this new network means a bunch of companies have started developing trackers that work with it. Motorola is the latest one to do so.

Even if functionality has a ceiling, design breaks through

If I had to pick a single reason I like the Moto Tag FMD tracker over every other option, it’s the design. Motorola won’t specifically mention the Apple AirTag, but it will admit it designed the Moto Tag to take on a form factor that fits third-party accessories.

If there is one type of tracker that dominates the accessory market, it’s the Apple AirTag.

Taking on that design, the Moto Tag is much smaller than options from Chipolo or Pebblebee. It has a tiered design that’s wider in the middle. The widest portion does, in fact, fit nicely into every AirTag accessory that I have.

This was a good choice because it means that thousands of products already have a slot for the AirTag, and just about any of those will work. Truly, the Moto Tag tracker looks better than the AirTag does, too. The green colorway and “Starlight Blue” are the only options right now, but they’re such a nice diversion from the generic white or black options others offer.

The top of the tag houses a small button that can be used as a shutter remote or to find your phone, though I can not find the feature. Motorola notes that the function is active, but I have yet to see it in the companion app on my end. The Moto Tag is the first FMD tracker to offer a companion app. The app allows you to rename it, configure settings, and reset if needed.

You’re also able to use the Moto Tag to find your device, if you want to switch things up. The feature is nice, but it leaves a persistent notification on your phone letting you know that service is active. You can always turn the notification off, if needed. Pressing the button on the Moto Tag will ring your phone, which is a fantastic option to have.

Unfortunately, the Moto Tag’s UWB function isn’t available just yet, but it already offers enough over the competition to pit it as the best FMD tracker on the market. We haven’t been able to conduct as thorough a test with it as our own Damien Wilde did with the other trackers available – check out the video here – but with UWB (eventually), it already has an edge.

Motorola notes that UWB will be available “upon further Android integration,” which has no concrete release date. When it does roll out, you’ll be able to locate the tag in more precise amounts beyond simple Bluetooth tracking.

At the time of writing, the Moto Tag is still unavailable on Motorola’s website but is in stock on Amazon (4-pack only). We’re not sure if this is because of demand or limited quantities. When UWB rolls out fully, the Moto Tag will probably be the best FMD tracker on the market, and it still only costs $30 for one. The 4-pack is $99, but it’s a great move if you have all those AirTag accessories you need to stick a tag in.

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