Apple’s AirTag Bluetooth trackers see a lot of use around my house. TV remotes that disappear beneath sofas and pillows on a daily basis? Attach an AirTag and problem solved. Car keys that are constantly misplaced in coat pockets? AirTag on the keychain. I keep one in my luggage and also in each of our cars–AirTags may not be perfect, but they’re cheap insurance. Apple recently released a second generation of its tracker with a speaker that’s 50% louder and improved tracking range. What didn’t change was the form factor and the battery life. That last one is probably my single biggest issues with AirTags, but put an AirTag in a TimeCapsule from Eleven Lab and battery life goes from a bit over a year to 10 years.
Yes, a whole decade without having to change the AirTag battery! This is a game changer for applications like auto security and possibly luggage. Not so much for TV remotes (the TimeCapsule itself is larger than an AppleTV remote), but for any application where you’d use an AirTag and not care if it took up a bit of extra space, the TimeCapsule offers a huge upgrade in battery life.
AirTag’s CR2032 Coin Cell is Replaced by a Pair of AA Batteries
The key to the dramatic increase in battery life when using the TimeCapsule is the replacement of the CR2032 coin cell with a pair of AA batteries. When used with the recommended Energizer lithium AA batteries, Elevation Lab says there is an estimated 14 times more capacity than the OEM CR2032 the AirTags ship with.
Case is Protective, Not Just a Battery Container
The $22.99 Time Capsule is a solid little piece of tech, with a case made of fiber reinforced composite material and an internal gasket. It is held together with four CNC machined screws. The case measures 4.5 x 1.6 x 0.8 inches and with the AirTag and batteries, still comes in at about 3.5 ounces. Elevation Lab says that the case is IP69 waterproof. It feels like I could run over it without damaging the enclosed tracker. Besides providing physical protection, the case also disguises the AirTag’s familiar form.
AirTag to TimeCapsule Installation
This is probably going to be one of the easier installs you ever do. It’s basically like putting batteries in a remote. You unscrew the back of the AirTag and remove it altogether, along with the CR2032 battery. Set the AirTag on the circular metal contact in the bottom of the case, pop in the two AA batteries (you’ll need to buy those), set the top on and then screw it shut with the included screws and hex key.
10 Years Battery Life, Really?
I can’t say with certainty that the Time Capsule will deliver on its claimed 10 year battery life for the installed Apple AirTag. I’m not going to test for a decade… However, it seems plausible given the additional battery capacity. I bought a few of them because I’m willing to bet I may never need to change the battery in my car AirTags again.
What I can say is that I found the case didn’t noticeably affect the AirTag’s sound volume and it also had no measurable impact on range.
If you would rather have four or five times the AirTag battery life with a smaller case, Elevation Lab has you covered with a compact version of the TimeCapsule. The company also sells a wide range of custom AirTag mounts and accessories, including magnetic mounts, bike mounts and even a secure dog collar mount.
