AirTag 2 is finally here, and most of the attention has been on the obvious upgrades. Apple has improved Precision Finding, boosted Bluetooth range, and made the speaker louder, which should all make it easier to track down your keys or bag when they disappear into the void.
But alongside those headline features, there’s also a much smaller change that’s honestly kind of hilarious in the most Apple way possible.
It turns out AirTag 2 doesn’t just sound louder, it actually sounds different.
Apple quietly changed the AirTag chime
Early buyers have noticed that the familiar AirTag alert tone has shifted slightly in pitch. A user named Karagana pointed out that Apple has moved the chime up by a note, meaning the original AirTag played an “F,” while AirTag 2 now plays a “G.”
It’s a subtle tweak, but once you know about it, it’s the kind of detail you can’t un-hear.
Related: How to Tell AirTag 2 Apart From the Original AirTag (Simple Check)
Macworld confirmed the change
This wasn’t just a random guess from someone with perfect pitch either. Macworld looked into it and confirmed that the chime really has changed, even using a virtual piano to verify the notes.
According to Macworld, the rhythm and tempo remain exactly the same. It’s still the familiar little flourish followed by the same repeating pattern, but the whole thing sits slightly higher than before.
Why would Apple do this?
Apple hasn’t explained the reasoning, but it’s not hard to imagine why a higher pitch might help. Sounds in that range can sometimes be easier to pick out in a noisy environment, especially if you’re trying to locate something from across the room or under furniture.
The difference between F and G isn’t huge, but paired with the louder speaker, it could make AirTag 2 just a little easier to hear at a distance. This tiny chime change isn’t the only subtle tweak Apple made for AirTag 2.
AirTag 2 is tougher to tamper with
The company has also made the device a bit tougher when it comes to safety. AirTag 2 includes what Apple calls “industry-first protections against unwanted tracking,” highlighting features like cross-platform alerts and Bluetooth identifiers that change frequently. But there’s more: a teardown by YouTuber Joseph Taylor shows that the internal speaker is now much harder to remove.
He tries taking out the speaker magnet and finds it “glued in quite well,” requiring multiple tools and extra effort, even though he eventually manages to get it out. It’s a small detail, but it’s another way Apple is making it harder for anyone trying to misuse an AirTag.
