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Tile criticizes Apple AirTags ahead of congressional hearing

The CEO of Bluetooth tracker maker Tile implies that Apple's AirTags are unfair competition.

Andrew Gebhart Former senior producer
2 min read
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You can use Apple AirTags ($29 each) to find your lost items.

Apple

At least one company isn't excited that Apple  finally debuted its long-rumored AirTags. After Apple's Spring Loaded virtual event on Tuesday, the CEO of Tile released a statement calling Apple's competitive practices unfair. Tile is best known for a Bluetooth tracker with similar functionality to the upcoming AirTags.

Tile will be testifying at a Senate antitrust hearing on Wednesday related to competition in app stores, but CEO CJ Prober didn't want to wait until then to offer his reaction to Apple's new AirTags.

"We welcome competition, as long as it is fair competition," sProber in a published statement Tuesday. "Unfortunately, given Apple's well-documented history of using its platform advantage to unfairly limit competition for its products, we're skeptical."

Watch this: Apple AirTags help you find anything with your iPhone

AirTags will make use of Apple's Find My app -- which the company recently opened to third parties -- to track down lost items like keys and wallets or whatever you put the tracker on. Tile trackers perform a similar function. Tile's complaints stem from needing to pay a commission to Apple for customers to use its own Tile app, while Apple is making a competitive product. During a Senate hearing in 2020, Tile testified about what it argued were unfair practices behind the app. 

Apple on Tuesday pushed back against Prober's statement.

"We have always embraced competition as the best way to drive great experiences for our customers," an Apple representative said in email, adding that, "We have worked hard to build a platform in iOS that enables third-party developers to thrive."

The Find My app has been around since 2010, which predates Tile. Apple noted that Tile has been invited to make use of the app.