Does Samsung SmartTag 3 work with all Android smartphones?

The Galaxy SmartTag 3 is the first Samsung location tracker to support iPhones, so you might assume it is also compatible with a variety of Android phones. That's only partially true.

Samsung hasn't done much, or anything, to improve Galaxy SmartTag 3 compatibility with Android OS outside its own device ecosystem.

Like the previous two trackers, the SmartTag 3 works only with Samsung Galaxy devices. Unlike the predecessors, it also works with iPhones to a limited degree.

Lacking support for other Android phone brands wouldn't have been surprising had Samsung not added iPhones to the list of compatible devices this year. But as it stands, iPhones are suddenly a better choice than non-Galaxy Android devices for anyone who wants to use the Galaxy SmartTag 3.

Even Google Pixel phones are missing out on Samsung's latest tracker, despite the close relationship between the two tech giants.

You'll also find a slight Galaxy SmartTag 3 feature disparity across different Galaxy phones, particularly regarding the improved Compass View directional tracking mode.

The upgraded mode offers directional tracking from up to 60 meters, but this extended range requires Galaxy devices with Bluetooth Channel Sounding. As of this writing, only four models fit the bill: the Galaxy S26+, Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

All things considered, the Galaxy SmartTag 3 remains the best-fit location tracker for Galaxy phone users first and foremost, with iPhone users coming in second. However, if you have another Android phone brand, you may want to avoid the Galaxy SmartTag 3 altogether or maybe hope for a third-party software implementation.

The Galaxy SmartTag 3 went on sale in Korea and will hit the shelves in the USA in November. Other markets will follow in early 2027. The SmartTag 3 costs $29.99, and you'll also be able to buy a pack of four trackers for $99.99.