Amazon partners with Tile, rival of Apple's AirTags

• Late last year, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) rolled out Amazon Sidewalk, a "neighborhood network" that pools the low-frequency, long-range bandwidth in an area to help connected devices operate outside the owner's usual network range.
• Today, Amazon announces that Tile, maker of Bluetooth-enabled tracking tags, will join Sidewalk on June 14. The tie-up means that compatible Echo devices will be able to extend Tile's network coverage further.
• Sidewalk will also extend Tile's in-home finding experience with Alexa commands able to make the tagged item ring. Alexa can also say which of multiple Echo devices the sought item is near.
• Level smart locks are also joining Sidewalk so that owners outside of Bluetooth range can activate the lock by linking into their Ring Video Doorbell Pro, creating a Bluetooth connection only between those two devices. The Ring and Level updates will be available by the end of May.
• Amazon is working with CareBrand on a pilot program combining Sidewalk and the wearables company's devices designed to help people with dementia. The program supports features like indoor and outdoor activity tracking, a help button, and automated activity data.
• Related: Last month, Tile appeared before a Senate antitrust panel and advised Congress to take a closer look at Apple, which had just launched its Tile competitor, AirTags.

Comments

[monetbee3]

Rise of the surveillance state for sure! 🙃

May they both compete for the best features!

[Gary J is Rich on AMZN]

@monet738

Only the paranoid need care.

[davislake]

@Gary J is Rich on AMZN I'm paranoid but also forget where I put stuff way too often. I'm hoping this stuff all gets a bit smaller and can be recharged by placing it on a wireless charger.

[Gary J is Rich on AMZN]

@davislake

Tile uses disc batteries. Easy and better.

[billrla]

Just think of all those people with Alzheimers, wandering around their neighborhoods, lost. Finally, we can track them all and get 'em home.

"Alexa, where's mom?"

Meanwhile, mom gave her tracking tag to a homeless person, because it was a nice day outside, and the homeless person seemed nice.

[Gary J is Rich on AMZN]

@billrla

"Meanwhile, mom gave her tracking tag to a homeless person, because it was a nice day outside, and the homeless person seemed nice."

Meanwhile just one safe return because of the tracker makes it all worth it. To reasonable people, that is.

[Who Dat?]

Thank you, Amazon! I despise the fact that Apple Airtag is ripping off Tile's IP and making millions off the hard work from Tile.

For the record, I have Tiles that I placed on my very high end mountain bikes. These bikes are worth as much as any new entry level vehicles.

[lakings91]

@Who Dat? Tile only useful if someone with installed app is in the range. I had a couple Tiles on my delayed luggage. They were “anchored” for days at time - there is much greater chance someone with Apple phone is near by to reflect air tag movements

[Gary J is Rich on AMZN]

@lakings91

Tile will use Apple's Finder.

[Rierajesus]

Cute but no one beats Apple at hardware.

[stevehodg]

@Rierajesus The thing is - and why I don't get why they jumped on the anti-Apple bandwagon - is that Tile doesn't need to compete. They can own all adjacent markets if they want. They can have Android, they can have specialty trackers of all kinds.

[voodoomagic]

@stevehodg tile doesn't have access to OS level features that apple provides. Also they don't have access to a billion devices which Apple are using to improve search, tiles network is much smaller.

[stevehodg]

@voodoomagic

www.apple.com/...

I thought that was part of the point of this was that Tile has the same network access as Apple and now everyone else?

[itchyandscratchy9]

damn Amazon, you savage!

[magenta17]

Aha! Amazon's at it again! Such smart people running the show should comfort INVESTORS! Longz! :-)