Apple AirTag adds new battery warnings for child safety

Apple has added new warnings to AirTag devices and packaging against the risk of button batteries being swallowed by children. The regulation known as the “Reese’s Law”, which came into force in the USA on March 19, 2024, requires certain safety standards in products containing button batteries. In order to comply with this legal regulation, Apple has made some updates to both its products and boxes.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that the AirTags imported to the US after the law came into force lacked the necessary warnings about the serious risks posed by button batteries for children. In line with these criticisms, Apple added a warning symbol to the battery compartment of AirTag devices. In addition, device boxes and operating instructions have been renewed with statements drawing attention to the dangers of button batteries.

Button batteries pose a serious threat, especially to children, due to their small size. If swallowed, they can remain stuck in the esophagus and cause serious tissue damage as a result of a chemical reaction. This condition can result in death if left untreated. These risks posed by button batteries have become more prominent with the increasing number of swallowing cases in recent years.

Apple emphasizes that the CR2032 lithium batteries it uses are durable for a certain period of time, but should be stored carefully. It is of great importance that users prevent children from accessing the battery during the battery replacement process. In this context, additional warnings about the dangers of button batteries have been placed in the battery replacement instructions in the company’s “Find” application.

Some manufacturers add a bittering coating to the surface of button batteries to prevent them from being swallowed by children. However, it is known that such batteries are not compatible with some electronic devices. Apple has announced that batteries with a bitter coating may not be used in AirTags.

Reese’s Law was adopted after a small child died after swallowing a button battery. This law requires certain safety standards in the design and packaging of products to minimize the risk of ingestion of button batteries. Within the scope of the law, it became mandatory to have warning labels on the boxes and usage instructions of the products.

Apple’s compliance with this new regulation is seen as an important step in terms of consumer security. There is a common awareness in the industry that such devices should be made safer, especially in environments where children are present.

Apple AirTag was released in 2021

These security updates for AirTag devices that the company launched in 2021 are expected to become standard in new models. The new AirTag model aims to further support this approach to security by both users and regulatory authorities.