Do I Need an iPhone 11 or iPhone 12 to Use an AirTag?
Nope. While only the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models include the necessary U1 chip for the more advanced “Precision Finding” — the feature that guides you directly to your AirTags in a room — AirTags themselves can be used with any iPhone or iPad that’s capable of running iOS 14.5. This includes the iPhone 6s, original iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 8, iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XR, and 2020 iPhone SE (and of course the “Plus” and “Max” variants of these).
If your iPhone doesn’t have a U1 chip, AirTags will work much like finding an iPhone or other Apple device. You’ll be able to identify their approximate location on a map, so you’ll know if you left your keys at a restaurant or the gym, but you’ll be on your own when it comes to specifically where you left them.
By comparison, the UWB capabilities of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 will take you right to the locker, table, or other spot where your AirTag is hiding.