Google Pixel Tag goes on sale at $29.99 with UWB precision finding in Find Hub

Google has released the Pixel Tag, its first first-party item tracker for Android. Announced in August and on sale starting Tuesday, the $29.99 device lets Android owners locate belongings such as keys, bags and wallets through the Find Hub app, according to TechCrunch. A four-pack costs $99.99, a pricing structure The Verge compares directly to Apple's AirTag 2.

Design and hardware

The Pixel Tag departs from Apple's round puck with a slim, oblong shape. Per TechCrunch, it measures 1.1 inches wide, 1.8 inches tall and 0.2 inches deep — noticeably thinner than the AirTag's 0.31 inches, though longer. At 0.4 ounces including the battery, The Verge notes it is slightly lighter than the AirTag 2.

The housing is stainless steel with an IP67 rating, meaning it is dustproof and can withstand submersion to 1 meter for 30 minutes, TechCrunch reports. It ships in silver and a pale green. Unlike some competitors, it has no built-in hole for keyrings or luggage, so tethering it to objects requires accessories — Bellroy is launching a line of keychain cases on the Google Store alongside the tag.

The tag includes a speaker for audible chimes when hunting a nearby item, with three loudness settings topping out around 80 decibels, plus a physical button that, pressed twice, rings a misplaced phone. It runs on a user-replaceable CR2032 coin cell. The two outlets differ slightly on longevity: The Verge says it will run for over a year on one battery, while TechCrunch reports up to a year, so expectations should land at roughly twelve months.

Precision finding

Two radio technologies underpin location: ultra-wideband and Channel Sounding over Bluetooth 6.0. According to The Verge, Android phones with a UWB chip can display both the exact distance and the direction to a nearby tag inside Find Hub, while Bluetooth Channel Sounding delivers distance information only. TechCrunch adds that Pixel Watch wearers can also use the visual distance and directional guidance.

Basic compatibility extends to any device running Android 9 or later via Fast Pair, but the precision features require hardware with a UWB chip or Bluetooth 6.0 support — a cutoff that leaves many phones on approximate tracking alone.

Crowdsourced network and lost mode

For items that are genuinely lost rather than misplaced nearby, the Pixel Tag leans on Google's crowdsourced network of more than a billion Android devices worldwide, which TechCrunch compares to the equivalent networks from Apple and Tile. Passing devices detect the tag and relay its position to a map in Find Hub.

One omission stands out against the AirTag: there is no NFC chip. AirTag finders can tap the tag with a phone to pull up the owner's contact details, whereas the Pixel Tag instead uses a Lost mode that surfaces the owner's email address, phone number and a short message to whoever finds it. The tag automatically marks itself as found once it reconnects to the owner's phone. Locations can also be shared with up to 10 people through Find Hub, which TechCrunch suggests is useful for shared items like family car keys.

Why it matters

Until now, Android users wanting tightly integrated tracking had to turn to third parties such as Samsung, Motorola and Pebblebee. With the Pixel Tag, Google closes the gap with Apple: an inexpensive first-party tracker backed by a locating network comparable in scale to Find My. The device is also among the first consumer products to ship Bluetooth 6.0 Channel Sounding, bringing distance accuracy to phones that lack UWB hardware. The missing NFC chip is the main step backward, making recovery by a helpful stranger slightly clunkier than with an AirTag.