Samsung has launched a new LTE and GPS-enabled SmartThings Tracker that’ll enable folks to keep tabs on their prized possessions (and children) in real-time.
The $99.99 tracker makes it easy for people to track items like laptop bags, keys, luggage and even pets – anywhere within range of a cellular network. Users will be able to call up the location at any time using the SmartThings app, while people who may be carrying the tracker can send their location to the app by pushing a button on the device. This will be handy for parents who’re picking their children up.
The SmartThings Tracker builds upon functionality offered by Bluetooth-based trackers like the popular Tile products that a limited by the range of that technology. Samsung’s product uses the low-power LTE-M technology, which has been designed for Internet of Things devices.
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Samsung’s offering also features geofencing, alerting you if a device leaves a certain radius, which makes it ideal for attaching to a pet who likes to find a way out of the back garden, or a child who likes to sneak out while grounded.
It’s also IP68 certified, which means it can handle submersion in 1.5-metres of water for around half an hour. Battery life is pegged at around seven days.
If you buy the SmartThings tracker you’ll get a year of LTE-M support from AT&T, but after that you’ll have to pay $5 a month or $50 a year. Support will be coming to the Verizon network in the US later this year.
It doesn’t appear as though you need to be an AT&T customer to use the device and you don’t need a Samsung phone either. It’s not clear whether it will be available in the UK or other territories any time soon, but we’ll keep you posted.
Will you be picking up the SmartThings Tracker if it launches in the UK? Drop us a line @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
