ZDNET’s key takeaways
- KeySmart’s SmartCard is available on Amazon for $40 (3-pack for $90).
- It’s super thin, has a wireless rechargeable battery, and is IPX7-rated.
- It needs to be recharged every 5 months or so.
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Apple AirTags have changed my life, saving me countless hours looking for keys and other items that I absent-mindedly misplaced.
But AirTags have a few design flaws. First, the replaceable battery means you’re chucking away handfuls of CR2032s every year. Then there’s the shape and size. These tiny UFO-shaped devices don’t have a lanyard hole and are too bulky to be placed in a wallet without giving you a pain in the rear.
Also: My search for the ultimate USB-C charger for traveling is finally over
Yes, some wallets have little holders for AirTags, but in my experience, they are all too bulky.
But there’s a third-party AirTag-like product that takes everything that the original Apple AirTag has to offer and solves all of the above problems and more. That tag is the KeySmart SmartCard.
The first thing I love about the SmartCard is the thickness, or more specifically, its thinness!
The SmartCard is less than 2mm thin!
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
While Apple’s AirTag is 8mm thick, the SmartCard is less than 2 mm, or the thickness of two credit cards. This makes it perfect for use in a wallet. The end has a luggage tag hole for attaching the SmartCard to your suitcase.
The SmartCard is much thinner than the AirTag.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
KeySmart made this card so thin by eliminating the bulky CR2032 coin cell and replacing it with a rechargeable battery. This battery is recharged using a wireless charger every five months or so.
While testing this card, I thought it’d be great if KeySmart had built MagSafe tech into the card to allow it to attach to my angled MagSafe iPhone charger. Well, KeySmart thought of everything — this card attaches itself to wireless MagSafe chargers!
Also: I never travel without this AirTag accessory – and it’s saved me hundreds of dollars
Because there are no battery compartment covers, the tag is robust, has an IPX7 rating for dustproofing and water resistance, and can survive up to 30 minutes of immersion in 3 feet of water. Despite being thin, these items are tough and can withstand quite a bit of bending and squeezing, making them suitable for life in wallets.
In addition to these improvements, this device functions similarly to an AirTag. It’s activated using the Find My app, and you can search for it when you’ve misplaced your wallet.
This is the AirTag that Apple should have made.
ZDNET’s buying advice
AirTags are great, but they have first-generation limitations that I’m sure Apple will one day solve with a next-generation wave of AirTags. For now, the KeySmart SmartCard is the best AirTag for those who want a thin solution for their wallet or as a luggage tag.
