Samsung’s AirTag rival is compatible with the iPhone – but useless on Pixel

Samsung broke its promise to make the SmartTag 3 work with other Android phones.

The company has confirmed that you won’t be able to use its new SmartTag 3 tracker in conjunction with other Android-based devices after all.

For around five years now, Samsung has supplied its own AirTag-style tracker ecosystem known as SmartTag, which we like a lot. Much like Apple’s own trailblazing GPS pucks, these are locked to the Samsung ecosystem.

Given that Samsung’s phones run on Android, we’ve always listed this limitation as our chief complaint.

Samsung, to its credit, appeared to have listened to such grumbles with the recent launch of the SmartTag 3, which ships with iPhone support, even if you won’t get the full range of features available on Galaxy phones. As for wider Android support, however…

Michael Simon/IDG

Samsung loses track

The company initially assured outlets that “SmartTag3 is compatible with other Android devices that have access to the Google Play Store to download the SmartThings and Samsung Find apps”.

However, in seeking further clarification, Android Authority has discovered that no such wider compatibility is on the cards.

“SmartTag3 currently connects to and works only with Galaxy devices among Android smartphones, and there are currently no plans to support other Android devices,” a Samsung spokesperson told the website.

So there you have it. Samsung’s new tracker, essentially underpinned by Android, won’t work in conjunction with other Android phones. Any previous assurances to the contrary seem to have been supplied in error.

But it will work with your iPhone. Go figure.

Thankfully, Samsung’s own phones are still pretty great options. Most recently, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 impressed us with its iPhone Duo-pre-empting ways, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra is our top phone recommendation in 2026, despite the frustrating price rise.