Google's $29 Pixel Tag outshines AirTag with Bluetooth Channel Sounding

At its Made by Google event, Google unveiled the Pixel Tag, a $29 Bluetooth tracker that competes directly with Apple's AirTag and Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag2. The standout feature is its use of Bluetooth Channel Sounding, an emerging Bluetooth 6.0 standard that measures distance via Phase-Based Ranging (PBR) rather than the older Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) used in AirTags. This makes tracking more stable, accurate, and resistant to interference from walls and other devices. The Pixel Tag also includes an Ultra Wideband chip for precision finding, but Channel Sounding handles everyday proximity, saving power by only engaging UWB when absolutely necessary.

Google's tracker comes with a user-replaceable coin battery, IP67 dust and water resistance, and compatibility with any Android device running Android 9 or later. However, full Channel Sounding support requires Bluetooth 6.0, which currently limits the best experience to premium Pixel phones and select Samsung Galaxy devices. The Pixel Tag leverages Google's expanded Find My Device network to locate lost items, but Channel Sounding reduces how often you need to rely on that network. Motorola's Moto Tag 2 already ships with the same technology, but Google's deep ecosystem integration and aggressive $29 price could make the Pixel Tag the default choice for Android users.