An Australian official body has just issued a press release warning parents of young children not to leave any AirTag within reach of your children, as the battery can be easily removed, and they could swallow it.
The access to the battery is true, but it is also true that due to the small size of the device, it can be swallowed whole. Just like a Tile or a Chipolo. And the funny thing is that this concern has only transpired in Australia. Since the AirTag was launched in April they have been obsessed with the subject.
Within days of the AirTag launch, we already noted that a major Australian retailer retirement the AirTags on their shelves in response to concerns that the Apple device could pose a threat to children due to its size and “easy” access to its battery. Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is attacking Apple’s AirTag with a serious warning.
In a press release, the ACCC says it is advising parents to keep Apple AirTags out of the reach of children for “child safety concerns” about the accessibility and safety of the button cell battery inside the device.
The problem is the battery
AirTag has a button battery replaceable that can be interchanged by pressing and turning the back plate. The ACCC has concluded that the “push and turn” mechanism is too easy, as it does not have a screw to hold it, allowing children to open the back plate themselves and swallow the lithium battery.
This official body also complains that in the AirTag box there is no security warning suggest keeping the device out of the reach of children.
This is not the first time that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has had Apple in its sights. Has been with for a long time various open investigations. You want users to have more freedom when using the iOS apps that come pre-installed on iPhones.
