According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple plans to release a second-generation AirTag next year, with a "significant" expansion of its item tracking range.
In today's Power On newsletter, Gurman said that the new AirTag will use Apple's second-generation ultra-wideband chip or equivalent. The chip debuted in the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 last year, and Apple says it has three times the range of the first-generation ultra-wideband chip in the current AirTag. In fact, Gurman says that the range of the new AirTag should be three times that of the current model.
Last month, Gurman said the new AirTag would be released around mid-2025. In addition to greater coverage, he said that the new AirTag's built-in speaker will be more difficult to remove as a tracking-related security measure.
Overall, though, he doesn't expect any major design changes when the accessory is updated next year.