Apple AirTags Rumors: Release Date Moved Forward, Leaker Says

Apple may launch the AirTags tracker sooner rather than later after the company encountered a hiccup in the production of another device, a prominent leaker said.

Noted tipster Jon Prosser, creator of Frontpage Tech and self-proclaimed “most controversial Apple reporter,” tweeted that the Cupertino tech giant's answer to Tile trackers, known as AirTags, is “on schedule to be released with iOS 14.3,” which contains features specifically designed for the new tracking device.

Prosser, who now has a formidable 85.2% accuracy rating when it comes to Apple leaks and rumors (according to rumor monitoring site AppleTrack), claimed in another tweet that the AirTags “have been done & ready,” indicating that the company isn't waiting for the completion of the device's mass production before announcing it.

The leaker said that “it basically comes down to when Apple 'feels' it's the right time to put them out.” The new iOS version that contains features for AirTags, iOS 14.3, is “supposed to [arrive] next month.”

Should Prosser's leak prove accurate, fans will be able to see the new tracker as soon as November – just in time for the holidays.

AirTags, a device with the codename B389, is a circular tag that has the U1 chip. This component will allow it to work with the Find My app to locate missing or misplaced items as long as it is attached to those items.

That soon?

Prosser, in an earlier tweet, said that he was told by unnamed sources that Apple has chosen to postpone the announcement of the AirTags to March next year. Why the sudden change in the potential release date?

According to Prosser, Apple moved the release date up after encountering a “major hiccup in AirPods Studio production.” The company is removing a “few key features” from the premium audio device and will need some more time before being able to release the final product “until December at best.”

He then presented two scenarios for those awaiting the arrival of Apple's first over-ear AirPods:

• First, Apple might announce the new AirPods Studio in November but ship it to customers starting December.
• Second, “it's also just as likely” that the new headphones will not be released until March 2021.

All that said, nothing has been confirmed at the moment. Apple may or may not announce the new tracker next month. It also may or may not announce the new headphones next month. Fans are advised to stay tuned for more updates.