Samsung began selling the Galaxy SmartTag 3 through its U.S. online store on Nov. 6, with a single tracker listed at $29 and a four-pack at $99, according to 9to5Google’s Andrew Romero. The tag is rated for 550 days of battery power, and it is the first in the Galaxy line to work with iPhones. Samsung’s own U.S. newsroom gives the prices as $29.99 and $99.99.
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The third generation is also smaller. Samsung says it is about 35% smaller by volume and 33% lighter than its predecessor, and Romero notes it drops the built-in loop of earlier models for a more compact shape. It comes in white and black and carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, in water up to 1 meter for as long as 30 minutes.
Price, packs and the cents question
Romero’s report on the store listing says the four-pack holds two tags of each color. Samsung’s U.S. newsroom announcement puts the one-pack at $29.99 and the four-pack at $99.99 and says the tag would reach the U.S. by early November, which matches the Nov. 6 store launch. The same price pair appears in Gizmodo’s launch coverage by Raymond Wong from Sept. 30. Dates shifted by market. A 9to5Google report on Sept. 30 said the tag would launch on Oct. 7, Samsung’s U.S. announcement dated Oct. 8 pointed to early November, and online sales opened on Nov. 6. Rounding the one-pack down to $29 is shorthand, and shoppers should expect the cents at checkout.
550 days, 790 days and the coin cell
Samsung says the battery lasts up to 550 days in standard use and up to 790 days in Power Saving Mode. Gizmodo reports that the tag uses the same CR2032 coin cell as the previous model, with Samsung claiming 10% better power efficiency. Power Saving Mode comes with a tradeoff: Samsung says some features, such as Compass View, may be unavailable while basic finding still works.
The coin cell also carries a safety note. Samsung warns that a detached tag can be a swallowing hazard for children and pets and advises checking the attachment regularly.
What an iPhone owner gets and what stays Galaxy-only
Samsung’s newsroom calls this the first Galaxy SmartTag with cross-OS support for iOS. Through the SmartThings Find system, an iPhone user can check and share a tag’s location and use Search Nearby. Compass View, Ring Phone and Left Behind Alert are not available on iOS. An earlier 9to5Google report from Sept. 30 adds that an iPhone does not contribute to the Galaxy Find Network, and that the tag does not work with Android’s Find Hub. Romero’s Nov. 6 piece describes the iOS experience as basic connectivity through Samsung’s iPhone app.
Jay Kim, executive vice president and head of the Customer Experience Office in Samsung’s Mobile eXperience business, says the Galaxy Find Network, which spans more than 900 million participating Galaxy devices, makes this the most capable SmartTag Samsung has built.
Compass View, location history and routines
The feature list leans on Galaxy hardware. Compass View uses Bluetooth 6.0 Channel Sounding to give direction and distance from up to 60 meters on select Galaxy devices, with ultra-wideband adding precision at close range. Location History is stored for up to 7 days, a movement alert fires when a disconnected tag is moved, and a Lost Mode shows registered contact information when the tag is scanned over NFC. Samsung says Compass View reaches about three times the range of the previous generation. Place Notification, which alerts when a tag enters or leaves a defined area, is labeled a trial feature. The tag’s button can also trigger SmartThings routines for compatible connected devices, and Left Behind Alert may produce false alarms, per Samsung.
Samsung’s newsroom walks through the uses it has in mind. A collar attachment suits pets, with a ComforTag collar aimed mainly at dogs and a customizable SmartTag 3 Pet Collar, while a premium key ring case covers keys and bags. For luggage, the Galaxy Find Network can locate a tag out of Bluetooth range, and shared access through SmartThings Find lets travel companions follow the same tag. Cases also exist for wallets, toolboxes and bikes. The Samsung post on everyday uses carries those details and dates to Oct. 8.
The iOS gaps matter for the keys-and-bags pitch, because Left Behind Alert, the feature that warns when a phone loses its connection with the tag, is exactly what an iPhone owner would want when walking away from a bag, and it is missing on iOS.
Anyone on Android outside the Galaxy line faces a harder choice. Romero’s article points to trackers that work with Google’s Find Hub network instead, including the KeySmart SmartCard Pro at $39, the Orbitkey Key Organizer Tracker at $69 and the Pebblebee Clip 5 at $34. Samsung has not said whether the SmartTag 3 will ever join that network.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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