Back in 2021, Apple decided to open my ecosystem to other companies. As long as they meet a stringent set of standards, they can make devices that connect to and use that network, just like an iPhone, MacBook, or airtag.
Third-party manufacturers quickly jumped onto the ship, and all kinds of new trackers will soon appear. Many initially look and feel like carbon copies of Airtag, but after that, a variety of different shapes and sizes might be yours.
Ugreen is one of my favorite accessories manufacturers, but so far I have mainly used its chargers and cables. When the company’s tracker is new to me when I’m willing to send it out, but since I have an Airtag for years, I’d love to know that it would be different if there were any.
Note that Ugreen does some different trackers: Here is Smart Findermodel CM816.
What’s in the box?
From the product photos on the website and the front photos of the box, I wish the Smart Finder was bigger than it is now. It’s bigger than the Airtag, but it doesn’t work much: a 1.4-inch (36mm) square instead of a 1.3-inch (32mm) circle.
In addition to the label itself, there is a small seat of unnecessary safety information inside the box, instructions in six languages, some cute stickers, lanyards that connect it to other items, and a tool designed to help replace the battery, but looks a lot like SIM card deletion agent.
There isn’t much to say about the label itself: it has a notch on one edge for connecting a keychain or lanyard, a small button and indicator light in the front, and a technical specification for printing on the back.
Including such notches and lanyards is one of the differences between smart trackers and Airtags. With the Apple version, you need to purchase a separate holder to attach it to the keychain or anything else. With a smart tracker, it’s built-in.
Press and hold it SIM card remover Replace the tool into a small hole under the notch to open the battery cover: There is a flat CR2032 battery inside, which Ugreen recommends will last for two years.
I suspect this is optimistic, as I haven’t seen any other trackers that use the same battery statement (or indeed the last time) for over a year, but we’ll see how it evolves.
It’s simple, but I have to say that I like a small package that has stylized images like keys, bikes, backpacks and suitcases, so you can easily identify which one if you have several smart finders.
Setting up and using
At least when you use third-party products in the Apple ecosystem, the settings are almost the same. Pull the plastic tag out of the tracker to open it: it is automatically in pairing mode at this time.
I just launched my app on my iPhone 16, added a “other” type of product and was immediately detected. For example, if you are distracted by chatting with your partner and forgetting to add a tracker within five minutes, pin the button for two seconds, put it back into pairing mode, and let you go again. Ask me how I know.
Once paired, the Smart Finder works almost the same as the Airtag I already have. Find My App to show its last known location, you can get the indication (using Apple Maps only).
You can make a loud beep to help it track it, and it works well: I can hear the sound on the other side of the room even if it is stuffed under the sofa cushion.
The reports I’ve seen say that some third-party trackers are not able to correctly find my network using globally: in other words, they can’t report their location using Apple devices passed by others. Thankfully, this is not the case here.
When I left all my Apple devices at home and took me to the store, my partner could still see its location in her Find My Apps, and I could update in real time when I was following a busy street (presumably) full of iPhones.
You can also get an alert whenever you are separated from the tracker, which I tested by putting it on the kitchen table and going out for a walk. Sure enough, once I had a few blocks from my home, I found my notification popping up to let me know all of this.
These two features (when the alert tracker is when I’m not somewhere and being able to see its location near another Apple device) are the main ways I’ve used Airtag, especially while traveling with checked baggage. I’ll also likely use the smart discoverer in the future.
Because Apple has decided not to allow third-party tracker manufacturers to use ultra-broadband chips in iPhones, but, one thing about you No Getting is precise tracking.
This is the ability to provide exact distance and direction once you are within a few feet of the Airtag or other Apple devices you want. Depending on how and where you use/lost the Airtag, this may be a problem for you.
The only thing worth mentioning is the battery replacement process. Maybe I was just powerless, but I found it harder than expected: In the end, I had to press the removal tool into the hole with my thumb while prying the lid with my other hand.
Obviously, this is not something you do often, but it should still be easier.
Should you buy it instead of airtag?
For most people, the decision to buy Airtag or Smart Finder (or, in fact, any third-party tracker for Find My Network) boils down to two things: what they will use for and how much it costs.
If you are someone who loses your keys frequently, or other little things you can attach your tracker to, you might want an airtag.
Precision tracking makes it easier to find such items when the beep is muffled (under the sofa or in the jacket pocket), so if you use the feature regularly, it is only available on Airtag.
But if you plan to attach a tracker to something bigger, that’s another matter. Backpack, suitcase, pet, car: If you can see it from the other side of the room, you can see the location within a few feet.
By then, the Smart Finder was priced much lower than the Airtag. When I wrote this, there was a coupon on Amazon that cost less than half of the Apple version, before the holder of your Airtag was purchased.
This is hard to argue about for things that cover many people’s needs. If you are one of these people, put Smart Finder on your shopping list.
By all images of the author
