Samsung is taking the fight to Apple's AirTag. The company has announced the Galaxy SmartTag 3, a smaller and lighter Bluetooth tracker that, for the first time in the lineup's history, works with iPhones as well as Samsung Galaxy phones.
It goes on sale in South Korea on October 7, with a US launch to follow at $29.99 for a single tag or $99.99 for a four-pack.
The headline feature is cross-platform support. Through Samsung's SmartThings Find app, iPhone owners can now access core location and sharing functions on the SmartTag 3 — a first for a device line that previously worked only with Galaxy phones.
Samsung says iPhones can locate and share tags, though iPhones do not contribute location updates back to Samsung's network, and some features like Compass View remain exclusive to Galaxy handsets.
Tracking still runs through Samsung's Galaxy Find Network, which the company says includes roughly 900 million participating Galaxy devices for faster location updates when a tag is out of Bluetooth range.
Smaller, lighter, and longer-ranging
Samsung says the SmartTag 3 is about 35 percent smaller by volume and 33 percent lighter than its predecessor, with a rounded squircle body finished in aluminium. One design trade-off: the built-in key-ring hole is gone, so owners will need sold-separately silicone or loop cases to attach the tag to keys, bags, or a pet collar.
Finding range gets a major upgrade. Bluetooth 6.0 Channel Sounding lets the upgraded Compass View show a tag's direction and distance from up to 60 metres away — three to four times farther than the SmartTag 2.
Once close, ultra-wideband (UWB) takes over for centimeter-level precision on supported phones, though the extended range works fully only on a handful of Samsung's newest flagships, including the Galaxy S26+ and S26 Ultra.
Battery life is another strong suit. Samsung claims up to 550 days under standard use and up to 790 days in Power Saving Mode — the longest battery life Samsung has ever offered on a tracker.
Smarter alerts, same durability
The software side gets meaningful additions too. New Place Notifications alert users when a tagged item moves into or out of a defined area, while Location History and Movement Detection Alerts keep tabs on where a tag has been.
Returning features include NFC-powered Lost Mode, Left Behind Alerts, and the ability to trigger SmartThings smart-home routines with the tag's button.
The SmartTag 3 carries IP67 water and dust resistance, matching its predecessor, and Samsung says all location data is encrypted for privacy and security.
Availability and price
The Galaxy SmartTag 3 comes in Black and White and goes on sale in South Korea on October 7, 2026, followed by the United States in early November at $29.99 individually or $99.99 for a four-pack. Samsung says it will reach additional markets in 2027, though it has not announced pricing for them yet.
With iPhone support, longer range, and a smaller body, the SmartTag 3 is Samsung's most ambitious tracker yet — and a clear sign that the item-tracker wars are far from over.
