After $16 VR Headset, India's Richest Man Launches Pocket-Friendly Alternative To Apple AirTag

India’s richest man-owned Reliance Jio’s latest launch is a cheaper alternative to Apple Inc.’s AAPL AirTag and other GPS trackers, offering a pocket-friendly solution for tracking lost items. 

What Happened: Reliance Industries, owned and led by Mukesh Ambani, has unveiled JioTag, a BlueTooth tracking device, under its subsidiary Reliance Jio. The device is designed to compete with Apple’s AirTag, according to Business Insider. 

See Also: Using Apple AirTag To Track Your Dog? Dangers May Outweigh Benefits

Price Difference: Originally priced at approximately $21.66 (₹2,199), JioTag is currently available for a limited-time offer of around $9 (₹749). 

JioTag positions itself as a budget-friendly alternative to Apple’s higher-priced AirTag, which in the U.S. costs $29, but in India, it is relatively expensive with a price tag of about $42.43 (₹3,499). 

Notable Features: The device boasts an impressive battery life of up to one year (replaceable thereafter), convenient features such as a phone ringing with a double tap and an alert system for preventing accidental item loss. 

With a range of up to 20 meters indoors and 50 meters outdoors, JioTag utilizes Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity and introduces a unique Community Find feature, allowing users to track the last-known location of disconnected items. 

This isn’t the first time Ambani-led Jio took on Apple and other big tech companies by bringing affordable alternatives to the market. Last month, the company launched its first-ever VR headset, JioDive, priced at just under $16.

The headset’s cost is significantly cheaper than products launched by established global players like Meta Platforms Inc. META, whose latest device, Quest 3, is priced at $499.99 and Apple’s first-generation mixed reality headset, Vision Pro, at $3,499. 

Why It’s Important: Apple’s AirTag gained popularity following its 2021 release. It was designed to help people locate personal belongings but later came under scrutiny because it proved to be an easy tool for stalkers to track unsuspecting individuals unaware of the monitoring. 

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