What you need to know
- Australian authorities are worried that AirTag is a choking hazard.
- The ACCC is "urging parents" to keep their AirTags away from kids.
- There are also concerns about the AirTag packaging.
Shortly after AirTag went on sale the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) went on record to say it was concerned about how easily the tracker's CR2932 battery could be accessed. An investigation has now taken place and Australian parents are being told to keep their kids away from AirTag trackers.
In a new press release, the ACC says that it is now "urging parents" to keep AirTags away from children because they could pose a choking hazard.
Accessing the AirTag battery is an easy task accomplished by pressing down on the accessory's rear panel and twisting at the same time. It's a method used by medication companies to prevent kids from getting into bottles, but it isn't applied as well in the case of AirTags. What's more, the ACCC is worried that parents might not know that the back panel is loose because it isn't easily put back into place.
The ACCC is concerned that the AirTag's battery compartment could be accessible to young children, and the button battery removed with ease. In addition, the AirTag battery compartment's lid does not always secure fully on closing, and a distinctive sound plays when an AirTag's lid is being closed, suggesting the lid is secure when it may not be.
The report continues, saying that while Apple has now added a note to AirTag packaging, it doesn't go far enough, saying "this alone does not address our fundamental concerns about children being able to access the button batteries in these devices."
Apple says it will work to make packaging better.
Anyone who doesn't have kids that could swallow a battery should definitely check out our collection of the best AirTag deals to avoid losing anything ever again.
