Xiaomi looks to have a cheaper version of Apple AirTags in store
Xiaomi has obtained a patent which suggests it is working on its own version of something akin to the Apple AirTags.
The patent application was filed back in January 2017 and the autorization date is June 25th 2021. The filing goes under the name “Method and Device for Finding Objects” and its moniker is CN106877911B.
The patent reads as follows (translation via Google from Chinese language with some edits).
“This disclosure is about a method and device for finding an item. The method includes: obtaining identification information of the item to be searched; comparing the identification information with pre-stored identification information in a database, wherein the pre-stored identification information is information related to the depositor of the stored item. The identification information is used to determine the storage location information of the item to be searched.”
“Through the present disclosure, the user can quickly find the item that needs to be searched, without having to work hard in recalling or rummaging through the cabinet, thus bringing more convenience to the user’s life.”
This sounds very much like the Apple AirTag. A device that can be attached to things and be used to locate them via an app – a personal items tracker. Presumably this will be cheaper than the $29 you need to pay for the Apple product.
Apple AirTags have received excellent reviews so far. The circular gizmo is fitted with the Cupertino outfit’s ultra-wideband U1 locator chip. This allows it to communicate via iCloud with greater accuracy than just with Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi. AirTags also tap into Apple’s global Find My network all the while keeping location info private and secure.
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Whether we actually see a Xiaomi version of AirTags is not clear at the moment. This is still only a patent and often companies file patents which are not followed up by real-world products. If we do see the product it might outshine AirTags in price but we doubt it will when it comes to functionality.
Source: ITHome
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