Gone are the days of losing keys, wallet or luggage causing minor daily irritations that quickly escalated into hours of lost time and mounting stress. Reliance Jio has addressed this common consumer issue by creating the JioTag 2, a tiny Bluetooth tracker that now functions across either of the two dominant smartphone platforms. Located at 1249 rupees and accessible through Amazon India, the second-generation device is compatible with both Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub, lifting the previous limitation that made shoppers pick a team.
Earlier Jio trackers were either heavily biased towards one platform, or necessitated its own companion app. The JioTag 2 breaks the trend. Android users of course use the Find Hub of Google to track down tagged objects, iPhone as well as iPad owners turn to the Find My app native to them.
The pairing takes place once on Bluetooth Low Energy and thereafter the tracker remains unobtrusively dormant in the background taking power only when required and never testing for a SIM card or subscription. If an item is close by, the built-in 120-decibel buzzer can be activated from your phone, piercing through cushions, bags or desk drawers with a sharp, loud cry. After the tracker moves out of immediate Bluetooth range, it still communicates its approximate location to the extensive networks of other Find My enabled phones and tablets.
Any of those with either Find My or Find Hub enabled can suddenly, and anonymously, transmit the fix, offering owners a good possibility of a discovery left on a train, in a caf or at an airport. The hardware is very stripped-down.
The polycarbonate enclosure measures approximately 101 x 62 x 17mm, and weighs 30g. An integral loop allows easy attachment to a key ring, school bag or suitcase. The enclosure is IP64-rated (dust tight and protected against water spray) which is probably sufficient for normal carry. Power is supplied by a standard coin cell which is replaceable and rated for a year of usage. Jio also includes an spare cell in the box, which doubles the time before the battery will require replacing. Lost Mode gives an extra level of assistance if your item is lost.
When enabled the tracker will connect to compatible network devices in the area and allow a lost signal to be transmitted. Providing location datawhich is anonymised and encrypted to match the method used for their own official tags. For combinations of Android and iPhone owners, or Yes individuals who jump back and forth, the true benefit is the dual support. Just one device to cover both sets of features without having to trade them off, or buy another tracker. At this price the JioTag 2 is more than half the cost of many of the top-end competitors and offers the value users want with the key functionality they demand a noisy local alert, long-distance network-assisted location, good battery life and no ongoing charges.
