Moto Tag is the AirTag for Android we’ve been waiting for

When it comes to smart tags, the Apple AirTag and its Find My network have become the standard-bearers for how smart tags should work and integrate into our daily lives. Between Tile, Samsung, and Apple, all of their smart trackers follow similar designs and identical feature sets, but Motorola thinks there’s a better way.

Having seen the new Moto Tag, I’m inclined to agree. It does everything any other tracker does, but also includes a few choices that make it stand out from an increasingly large crowd of options. It’s the best tracker to launch for the new Google Find My Device network, and I hope it’s the first of many that follow its lead.

The Moto Tag is special

Why didn’t someone think of this sooner?

The Moto Tag — at least on paper — seems so brilliant, I can’t believe no one else has thought of it yet. It does everything the AirTag, Galaxy Tag, or other trackers do, but includes a multi-function button that completely changes its utility.

When you press the button, it’ll ping your phone so you can find it. The same button could also be a remote shutter button for your Android phone. This makes it perfect for the new Motorola Razr, especially if you want to use it in Flex view. If you’re a content creator — or you prefer to take group shots without someone having to miss the photo — this is a pretty ingenious solution.

The button can’t be customized beyond this — at least, not right now — but I hope this is something the company can do in the future. I predict it won’t be long before we see other companies copy this move and offer more customization choices, creating what doubles as a dedicated hardware shortcut button always available in your backpack or carry-on. I’d love to see the ability to launch apps or specific functions and features, and maybe even one day run the equivalnt of Siri Shortcuts on iOS — perhaps through a partnership with Tasker or a specific Google-made option built into Android. The sky is the limit.

Motorola made smart choices

A few tweaks in all the right places

Just a button may not be enough to truly stand out, but the Moto Tag goes beyond. Like its phones, Motorola looked at where customers use these things and the demand for accessories. The result is a tracker that works with Android, but is the same size and shape as the AirTag, a move that makes it compatible with the plethora of AirTag accessories.

Couple this with it coming in two colors, and Motorola has a winner. Most trackers are various shades of gray, black, or white. The Moto Tag comes in Jade Green and Starlight Blue, and it just looks different. It’s the type of tag that’ll make you want to know more when walking through an airport, especially when paired with expressive color accessories.

That said, the tag colors won’t be for everyone. Motorola may want to release a more standardized color later, but this follows its playbook from the Razr series. Big, bold colors help its products stand out and get people talking. For the first time, I had someone stop me and ask “Is that the new Moto” when they spotted my bright orange Razr 2024. The Moto Tag will probably get people to ask: “What is that?”

The Moto Tag could be the standard-bearer for Google’s Find My Device network

Let’s just hope Google’s network catches up.

Like Motorola’s phones, the Moto Tag doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It’s powered by Google’s new Find My Device network — which works with over a billion devices — and sticks to the core experience. That means it supports Google Fast Pair to easily connect to your phone, and automatic unknown tracker alerts, which alert you when you’re being tracked by an unknown tracker, regardless of platform or brand.

The Moto Tag uses UWB technology, which is available with most flagship phones, and Bluetooth Low Energy to tap into the Google Find My Device Network. The network has been officially rolling out for the last couple of months, making it compatible with all the best Android phones. That said, though, it needs a bit more work.

It’s unclear how it will work with devices like the Samsung SmartTag 2, which doesn’t support the Find My Device network. Samsung’s latest tracker supports UWB technology, but the two networks are unlikely to be compatible with each other.

Hopefully, we’ll see every Android-compatible phone maker adopt the Find My Device network. Doing so would ensure that any Android phone user can pick up any smart tag knowing it will just work. That is how the Google Find My Device network can be even better than Apple’s Find My network.

For now, if you want the new Moto Tag, it’ll be available on August 2. A single pack will cost $30, while a 4-pack costs $100. These are the same prices as the Apple AirTag, although those are often on sale. I’m already prepared to order two of the 4-packs; they’re the exact sort of thing I’ve been looking for on the Android side of the fence.