Samsung Unveils Connect Tag Based On Cellular IoT Tech

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Samsung announced a trackable tag that, according to the company, is based on the narrowband network technology (NB-IoT). Dubbed as the Samsung Connect Tag, it can be used to track pets, as well as kids, when they go out of the house.

This is not the first such tracking device available in the market, but the technology it uses is new. Samsung claims it to be the first of its kind to use narrowband tech, which connects Internet of Things devices through cellular communication bands. The tech has been designed to use a small amount of data and power. On a single charge, the battery can last for up to seven days.

NB-IoT technology transmits small amounts of LTE cellular spectrum to fetch data for the devices that have low bandwidth. The technology offers strong coverage, power efficiency and the cost involved to operate is quite low as well. The NB-IoT technology was primarily designed for connecting the series of IoT devices, notes VentureBeat.

Samsung Connect Tag has been designed keeping in mind the anxiety that people experience when they cannot find their belongings or loved ones. “It can be attached to a young child’s backpack so his or her whereabouts can be tracked, clipped to a dog’s collar so it won’t go missing, and secure keys so they are never lost,” the Korean firm said.

Samsung Connect Tag is a waterproof device equipped with the geo-fence feature. The feature can track the person or the lost items when it enters the set virtual zone. A user can also integrate the tag with smart home appliances to control simple functions such as toggle the TV and lights on and off when a user enters the room. If attached to a child, Samsung’s tag will notify the parent when the child enters the school grounds. Further, a user can get the tag’s location by syncing it with a smartphone, serving best in situations like an over-crowded parking lot. The individual who has a tag can also send the location details or can set up the location alerts to be transmitted periodically to keep track.

Samsung Connect Tag can be synced only with the Android app, not good news for iOS users. Also, Samsung has not announced the date when the device will be made available in other markets. However, the South Korean giant has promised that it will release the device in a phased-in manner in other countries. Samsung will showcase the Connect Tag during the Samsung Developer conference 2017, which will start later this week in San Francisco, United States. Initially, it will be sold only in South Korea.

In separate news, Samsung last week launched the budget tablet Galaxy Tab A for users in India. According to the company, it is an entry-level tab with basic features and a big battery at 5000 mAh. The battery would be enough to play 14 hours of video. From the way it looks, Galaxy Tab A is quite similar to the tabs already in the market with rounded corners and thick bezels. It weighs around 364 grams, a little heavy for its size.

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