Skechers unveils kids' sneakers with hidden Apple AirTag compartment

[midian182]

In brief: Parents who worry about where their kids are might be interested in a new line of children's sneakers from Skechers. Each pair of these shoes has a hidden compartment on the inside designed to fit an Apple AirTag, allowing the wearer to be tracked.

The sneakers in the new Find My Skechers line have a cutout inside the heel of the shoe. Lift up the insert to reveal a small compartment containing the AirTag holder, where the tracker can be securely placed.

The compartment has a screw-in cover to keep the tracker locked in place and stop kids tampering with it. The lid is located beneath a lift-up air-cooled Goga Mat breathable insole, so wearers shouldn't be able to feel anything even if they are running.

It appears that the sneakers aren't a collaboration with Apple – there's no Apple or AirTag branding, just a mention that they are "compatible" with the trackers. Buyers need to provide their own AirTag, too.

We've seen plenty of other types of clothing designed to hold AirTags, but this appears to be the first official product in the category that is designed specifically for children.

One of Skechers' ads for the shoes hints at parents being able to track adventurous kids who explore new areas and like to hide. Another ad focuses on parents being able to find their kids "shoes" using a concealed AirTag.

The ability to track people – without their consent – has long been a controversial element of trackers like AirTags. It led to Apple and Google establishing a new standard in 2024 designed to alert users of suspicious trackers that may be traveling alongside them.

It's unlikely that an adult version of the Skechers will be created, given the implications of easily being able to track someone without them knowing.

Trackers are already a popular way for owners to ensure they can find a lost pet. Some parents do use concealed devices to monitor their children, but the Skechers' secure compartment, and the fact it is well-hidden, could make the sneakers a popular option among this group.

The Find My Skechers collection starts from $52 and goes up to $58.

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Skechers unveils kids' sneakers with hidden Apple AirTag compartment

 

[techstrike]

Stop copying "black mirror" :+)

 

[m4a4]

Yeahhh... pretty sure iPhones (and now Androids with an app) will eventually alert people to an "unknown" airtag in the vicinity. Not sure how that'll keep hidden when everyone seems to have a smartphone...

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Last pair of Skecher sneakers I purchased fell apart after about 3 months of moderate use. They got decent use the first week I owned them (wore them for the week I was at Disney World with the family). After that, they sat in my closet for about 6 months until my everyday shoes I was using finally fell apart to a point I tossed them.

Off of the shelf my Skecher sneakers come! About 3 months goes by and the whole bottom of the shoe is completely separated from the top half and the inside foam material had been falling apart for the past month. Also, the decal on the side of the shoes was coming off......WTF is going on here? I don't walk through puddles, I don't get mud on them, I keep them clean and dry.....

Skechers used to be really well made, I've still got a couple of nice looking pairs of their shoes that I've owned for nearly 2 decades - aside from some of the sole being worn down, the shoes themselves are still in really good condition. I've walked more miles in these old shoes than I did in the 3 months of use I walked in the sneakers.

Skechers' quality has tanked over the past decade and I'm surprised people put up with it. If my sneakers didn't cost $90 and only cost $30, I would have accepted the fact that they fell apart after about 3 months of use daily use. But to have shoes that cost nearly $100 to completely fall apart from 3 months of use is outlandish.

I emailed Skechers about my distaste for their lack of quality and the shoes falling apart in 3 months, I didn't even get back an apology from them. I was a loyal customer up until that point, mainly purchased their brand of shoes.

With how crappy the insides of their shoes hold up, those compartments for holding an airtag won't be holding anything because all the foam will have disintegrated within the first couple of months.

Do not waste your money on this crap nor on Skechers in general.

 

[dangh]

That's a good idea. Other ways are bulky or going on a way of a kid playing.

 

[Northy]

Putting a tab and a lump directly under the heel of one foot... Skechers aiming for new levels of uncomfy