Tile (company)

Tile is an American consumer electronics company which produces tracking devices that users attach to their belongings such as keys and backpacks. A companion mobile app for Android and iOS allows users to track the devices and locate lost items through Bluetooth 4.0, or view where they were last seen. In September 2018 GoPro vet CJ Prober became CEO of Tile. In September 2015, Tile launched Generation 2 hardware that includes find-your-phone functionality and other feature upgrades, which by January 2016 sold over 4.5 million units. In August 2017, two new versions of the Tile were launched, the Tile Sport and Tile Style. , the lineup consists of the Pro, Mate, Slim, and Sticker.
Function.
By attaching a Tile hardware device to a keychain or other item, a user can later use the Tile app to help locate the item if the object is lost. The Tile application uses Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0 radio technology to locate Tiles within a 150-foot to 300-foot range (depending on the product). Each Tile comes with a built-in speaker so the user can hear it within close range. Generation 2 of the Tile device has a volume of 90 decibels, three times as loud as Generation 1's volume. The Gen 2 adds a "find your phone" feature. Tiles are 1.5 square inches.
The application can locate Tiles beyond the 100-foot Bluetooth range, using "crowd GPS": if an item with an attached Tile device is reported lost and comes within range of another user's Tile application, the nearby user's application will send the item's owner an anonymous update of that item's location. Alternatively, a user can share their Tile with another user, to let both users locate the Tile. The first generation of Tiles could be shared with any number of users, while the later generations can only be shared for free with a single other user, with unlimited sharing available as part of the $2.99 / month Tile Premium service.
Originally, Tile's built-in batteries had a battery life of about one year. Users were automatically notified when the batteries were nearing depletion, and were eligible to receive a discount on a replacement product. The used Tile could then be sent back to be recycled. In October 2018, the Tile Mate and Tile Pro were redesigned to have user-replaceable batteries. These models have lower water-resistance ratings than the models requiring factory battery replacement.
Funding.
Tile's developers used Selfstarter, an open source website platform, to crowdfund the project through pre-orders.
As of July 7, 2013, Tile had raised over by selling preordered Tiles directly to 50,000 backers through their website.
In 2014, Tile raised additional Series A funding of US$13 million led by GGV Capital and a further US$3 million from Khosla Ventures in 2015.
Dispute with Apple.
In May 2020, Tile sought assistance from the European Union in a dispute it had with Apple regarding the provision of its services on Apple devices. It claimed that its app was not activated on Apple devices while the Find My service provided by Apple is activated automatically. Apple denied the allegation. In September 2020, Tile joined the Coalition for App Fairness which aims to reach better conditions for the inclusion of apps into app stores.
Lawsuit.
On November 7, 2013, Tile's founder Nick Evans and his company Reveal Labs were sued for allegedly stealing the Tile idea while Evans was employed by Jonathan C. Coon. The case was eventually settled out of court.