Apple The second-generation model, which officially went on sale in Taiwan last week, AirTag, which claims to have made several improvements to address tracking abuse issues, the most notable of which is a “50% increase in speaker volume.” However, a well-known teardown team iFixit The latest report reveals an alarming fact:AirTag 2 This louder speaker can still be easily disabled.
iFixit Hands-On Test: One Soldering Iron Stroke, and the Speaker Goes Silent
According to iFixit’s teardown video, the AirTag 2’s speaker is connected to the main circuit board (PCB) via two thin wires. Simply use a soldering iron to desolder these two wires to completely disable the speaker:Meanwhile, the AirTag’s tracking functionality remains completely unaffected。
In the video, an iFixit engineer quipped:
「我原本以為 Apple 的頂尖工程團隊一定想過這點，應該會加入阻抗偵測或加速度計震動驗證……結果沒有。喇叭可能更大聲了，但禁用它還是一樣簡單。」
Plus, once disassembled, the AirTag canPerfect Restoration…It looks exactly like the original, and the pairing function works perfectly.
Why is this a serious security issue?
The AirTag’s speaker is one of the core components of Apple’s “anti-tracking” mechanism. When an AirTag becomes separated from its owner and is being carried by a stranger, the system triggers the speaker to emit a sound, alerting the person being tracked.
After disabling the speaker:
- Victims cannot tell they are being followed by sound alone
- Relying Solely on the iPhone’s “Unknown AirTag Detected” Notification
- Android users, on the other hand, will need to manually use Apple’s tracking app (which most people won’t install).
Since the AirTag was introduced in 2021, there have beenNumerous cases of stalking, domestic violence, and even murderRegarding the misuse of AirTags. While many had hoped that AirTag 2 would address this issue at the hardware level, iFixit’s findings show that Apple’s improvements fell far short of expectations.
What exactly has Apple changed?
Despite the disappointing speaker protection design, the AirTag 2 still offers the following improvements:
| Project | AirTag 1 | AirTag 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker Volume | Standard | +50% |
| Ultra-Wideband Chip | U1 | U2(Broader scope) |
| Precision Finding | iPhone 11+ | iPhone 15+(More Accurate) |
| Bluetooth Identifier | Fixed | Dynamic Changes(Even harder to track) |
| Cross-Platform Alerts | iOS Only | iOS + Android |
Apple has indeed enhanced its detection mechanisms at the software level, including more frequent changes to Bluetooth identifiers and an industry-first cross-platform alert system.
Why Doesn’t Apple Include “Speaker Disconnection Detection”?
Technically, Apple is fully capable of incorporating speaker impedance detection into the firmware: when the speaker is disconnected, the AirTag could automatically deactivate or trigger a wireless alert.
Possible causes:
- Cost Considerations: Additional detection circuits will increase BOM costs
- Risk of False Positives: A worn-out or malfunctioning speaker may cause a normal AirTag to become locked up
- User Backlash: Some users deliberately remove the speaker to reduce the size (e.g., bike trackers)
- Legal Liability: If the detection mechanism fails, Apple could face greater litigation risks
Regardless of the reason, this design decision has undoubtedly provided an opportunity for those with malicious intent.
What should consumers do?
If you’re worried about being followed:
- iPhone users: Enable “Unknown Accessories Detection” notifications
- Android users: Installation Apple Tracker Detect App
- Regular Inspections: Places where tracking devices are commonly hidden, such as vehicles, bags, and luggage
- Suspicious AirTag Detected: Remove the battery and contact the police
Finally, anyone interested can check out iFixit’s teardown video. In its teardown report, iFixit gave the AirTag 2 the following rating:
- Maintainability Score: 6/10 (mainly because the battery is user-replaceable)
- Difficulty of Disassembly: Moderate; special tools are required to fully disassemble the casing
- Eco-Friendly Design: The internal components are laid out in a compact manner, reducing material waste
Conclusion
The AirTag 2’s speaker is indeed louder, but that doesn’t prevent malicious actors from turning it into a “silent tracker.” Apple’s efforts on the software side are commendable, but flaws in the hardware design still remain. For a company with a market capitalization of several trillion dollars that positions privacy and security as its core selling points, iFixit finds such compromises regrettable. Perhaps the real solution requires more than just a louder speaker—it requires Apple’s determination to ensure the speaker cannot be disabled.
Source: KOCPC Chinese