What you need to know
- Verizon is now selling its own Smart Locator device for $100 with one free year of LTE service.
- After the free year, service will cost you $3 per month.
- The new Smart Locator uses a combination of Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE-M to keep track of everything you care about.
Verizon has just launched the Verizon Smart Locator — a new product to help you keep track of everything you care about. The Smart Locator goes beyond other trackers like Tile, as it uses more than just Bluetooth to keep tabs on your stuff.
The tracker combines Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE-M to ensure you'll never be out of range of the device. That is, unless you're roaming or traveling internationally, according to the disclaimer at the bottom of the product page.
The Verizon Smart Locator comes with a key ring and clip-on accessory, making it easy to attach to your keys, luggage, pets, or anything else you want to keep tabs on. It also includes an IP67 waterproof rating, meaning it can be submerged in 1M of water for up to 30 minutes. That should give you peace of mind that it can stand up to some rain or a quick dip in the pool or lake.
Verizon estimates the battery life at five days, but that's only if you set the pinging time to three-hour intervals, utilize the 12-hour sleep function each day, and have good network signal strength. That's a lot of stipulations to get up to five days of battery life out of the little Smart Locator.
Using the companion app for Android and iOS, you'll be able to change the ping times and set up geofencing for the tracker. It even has a setting that allows you to share the Locator with up to 10 people.
While the new tracker is far more capable than the Bluetooth-only Tile, it also costs much more. For starters, the Smart Locator will set you back $100 just for the tracker and one year of free service, after which the LTE service costs $3 per month. That's a lot more than the Tile Pro which can be had for under $30 and doesn't require an additional charge for the LTE plan.
However, the pricing is very similar to its main competition, the Samsung SmartThings Tracker which also uses LTE-M and GPS, and can be bought from either AT&T or Verizon.
Finding your prized possessions wherever, whenever
The Verizon Smart Locator is much more than a Tile competitor. While other trackers use only Bluetooth to find your prized possessions, the Verizon Smart Locator uses a combination of Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE-M to ensure you'll never be out of range.
