The tale of how this information got out is interesting too – a source that goes by the name of SamMobile found a new device with the name “Galaxy Smart Tag” (model number EI-T5300) in an Indonesian Telecom Certification filing. From the name itself, it is being guessed that this new product will soon integrate with Samsung’s SmartThings Find feature, as well as offer location tracking services. What is interesting is the parallel to Apple’s AirTags product. The amount of evidence pointing to the parallels is overwhelming – there are patents being filed extensively, along with design leaks and a premature placement in the support materials being given by Apple. The iOS code is another indication of the company launching an ultra-wideband item tracker. Industry insiders have been expecting an announcement of Apple AirTags for a while now, but after repeated disappointment, a March 2021 launch is now being expected. Samsung had also previously launched an LTE-enabled item tracker along with a GPS under the SmartThings brand (in 2018), but it seems to have been discontinued. Further suggestions go that Samsung might use the ultra-wideband technology on its item-tracking tag. While AirTags by Apple are thought to be based on the U1 ultra-wideband chip, a technology which might be the foundation of Apple products in the future. Assuming that all this information is correct and up-to-date, this item tracker may be another one of Samsung’s products that fall in direct competition between the two brands -Samsung and Apple. Similar trends can be seen with the launch of Samsung Pay Card, which was pushed into the market following Apple’s Apple Card for consumer lending. Further, the Galaxy smartphones may be equipped with a secret, patented periscope camera technology that the company is currently withholding from the tech giant Apple to maintain a competitive edge. Samsung had originally unveiled the SmartThings Find feature at the launch of the Galaxy Note 20 series, explaining how the new app could help find compatible Galaxy products with a much better accuracy. Reports now hint at another Tile-like tracker by the brand. Implementing the SmartThings Find feature into the tracker is the next logical move the company is expected to make. Smart object trackers usually come with Bluetooth connectivity, and Samsung could further add more connectivity features including LTE, GPS, and UWB (Ultra-Wideband) features to the tracker that’s next in line.
