T-Mobile’s new SyncUP TRACKER 2. | Image Credit – T-Mobile
What’s improved is the battery life, which is now ten days instead of seven. The design has been slightly updated and a charging dock is no longer needed as the device supports USB-C charging. It works with the T-Life app, so you won’t have to download the Tracker app.
Unlike Bluetooth trackers, T-Mobile‘s SyncUP TRACKER 2 uses the company’s network and GPS to locate things, which gives it a slight edge over the AirTag, which may not be able to broadcast its position when it’s in a remote locate with no iOS devices nearby to send a signal to Apple’s Find My network.
The downside is that since this is a cellular device, it can’t match the AirTag in battery life, which can last up to a year on a single charge.
Since the SyncUP TRACKER 2 relies on T-Mobile‘s network, you must pay a monthly fee to keep it working. This could be a turn-off, given the AirTag starts at $29 and doesn’t require a monthly subscription of any sort.
Since the AirTag may not always work reliably due to Bluetooth limitations, the SyncUP TRACKER is a better option for some people, which explains why T-Mobile has launched a new version of the product. If it wasn’t selling well, T-Mobile wouldn’t bother with a new iteration.
T-Mobile is selling the SyncUP TRACKER 2 for free but there’s a $5 monthly fee to use the company’s network. The Mobile Report says that the carrier will soon introduce a deal that will bring the monthly payment down to $3. You will be able to buy 12 trackers for each account you have.