Apple has made a series of notable internal changes with the second-generation AirTag, according to a teardown video by Joseph Taylor.
Externally, the second-generation AirTag itself is effectively indistinguishable from the original and continues to use a standard CR2032 coin cell. The only visual differences are slight changes to the text on the back, which is now all in capital letters and lists IP67 water and dust resistance, as well as NFC and Find My support.
The main PCB inside the second-generation AirTag is visibly thinner than that of the original model. The battery connectors are positioned at a different angle and the new board includes additional test pads that are likely related to manufacturing or diagnostics. Taylor also noted new markings inside the battery compartment, including a QR-code-like graphic.
The speaker assembly also sees changes. The speaker coil embedded in the plastic shell appears slightly larger than in the first-generation AirTag, while the speaker magnet is more firmly secured. In the original AirTag, the magnet could be removed relatively easily, which enabled relatively easy modifications. In the second-generation model, the magnet is more firmly secure and requires noticeably more effort to remove.
Taylor speculated that the increased use of adhesive could be related to anti-tampering efforts. Despite the removal of the speaker coil and magnet, the device was still able to connect to his iPhone, indicating that Apple has not introduced a firmware-level lockout or alert triggered by physical modifications.
After pairing the device to an iPhone, the sound the AirTag emits is a "slightly higher pitch" compared to the original. A user on X has noted that the chime has changed from the note "F" to the note "G."
Apple has also updated the AirTag's packaging, using a redesigned box with a narrower overall shape and updated front artwork. The printed text on the new box appears slightly raised via UV printing, and it now features paper adhesive pull tabs. Inside the box, the cardboard insert containing the AirTags is now simpler, with a single paper latch holding a lid over the tray of AirTags, which now sit as a row of four. In the original packaging, the AirTags sat in a doubled over folio in rows of two.
