Tile is an American consumer electronics company which produces devices to help users find their belongings, such as keys and backpacks, which use Bluetooth 4.0. The devices work with a companion mobile app for Android and iOS, which allows users to locate lost items through Bluetooth or 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. 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 louder than 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 crowdfundthe 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.
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.
