Tag: airpods

AirPods Max tidbits: Find My support, no passive audio & more
The roundup: A day after being announced, we scoured the internet for all the AirPods Max tidbits that Apple has provided thus far.
- AirPods Max can be located and pinged through the Find My app
- While placing AirPods Max in the smart case puts them in an ultra-low power mode…they don’t shut off completely
- Audio output is Lightning to 3.5mm jack only…no USB audio support
- Lightning-to-3.5mm cable is a $35 add-on
- There’s no passive audio support…the headphones must be charged to work at all
- AirPods Max are fully compatible with non-Apple devices…but some special features, like spatial audio, only work when paired to an Apple product
- Like with Apple Watch Series 6 and iPhone 12, there’s no power brick included in the box
- Additional/replacement ear cushions can be purchased for $69 (the headband was also supposed to be replaceable, but the feature got scrapped, according to rumors)
- Engraving may speed up shipping for once
https://twitter.com/panzer/status/1336367079704780805?s=20
December 9, 2020
Apple confirms AirPods Max ear cushions will be sold separately, $69 each
The news: Following the launch of AirPods Max earlier, Apple has confirmed that the colored ear cushions will be sold separately.
- The cushions are available in Silver, Black, Green, Sky Blue and Red…for $69 a pop
- Apple says they are coming soon, with no confirmed release date just yet
Our take: For a $549 product, $69 cushions seem reasonably priced. But compared to anything else that’s a pretty hefty cost to justify. Great option, though, for those that want the most customization on their AirPods Max.

https://twitter.com/pulse_ninja/status/1336338927838380032
December 8, 2020
AirPods 3 likely delayed until April-June 2021
The rumor: Apple plans to unveil AirPods 3 a bit later than initially planned, according to Ming-Chi Kuo (78% accurate).
- Kuo now expects upgraded AirPods in April-June 2021
- AirPods 3 will likely share a hybrid design between AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro
Our take: A bit disappointing, but this is only a brief push back from the February/March timeframe. Excited for the upgraded, non-in-ear design.
November 25, 2020
Photo surfaces of potential AirTags keychain ahead of announcement
The leak: This may be our first look at the rumored AirTags keychain accessory, according to Fudge (90.9% accurate).
- The photo below depicts a reflective, silver key ring attached to a Saddle Brown leather loop
- Mark Gurman (88.4% accurate) was first to rumor the existence of a keychain accessory for AirTags, which could debut as soon as tomorrow
Our take: This looks legitimate to me, and lines up with what Gurman leaked a few months back. Both Jon Prosser (84.3% accurate) and L0vetodream (88.7% accurate) believe that AirTags will be announced very soon (likely tomorrow).
November 9, 2020
Leaked AirPods 3 images show all-new design and updated case
The leak: The first images of what may be AirPods 3 have surfaced online, courtesy of 52audio.
- They look similar to AirPods Pro, but don’t seem to feature interchangeable ear tips like their counterpart
- Apple seems to be sticking with a one-size-fits-all physique
- An updated case is more compact than AirPods Pro, and has a much more compact and vertical design
Our take: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this is real. 52audio leaked AirPods Pro ahead of its unveil last year so I think they have a good pulse on this type of thing. So happy this is not the in-ear design we see on AirPods Pro.
November 4, 2020
iOS 14.2 brings optimized charging to AirPods for the first time
The news: Updating to iOS 14.2 could have a positive impact on your AirPods battery life in the long-term, according to an important change mentioned in the official release notes.
- As described by Apple, “Optimized battery charging for AirPods to slow the rate of battery aging by reducing the time your AirPods spends fully charged”
- Battery degradation was a big issue for owners of original AirPods, as the batteries inside each earbud (and even the charging case) are so tiny
- Apple first introduced optimized battery charging for iPhone with iOS 13
Our take: Super happy that this is here, because I have experienced, first-hand, huge issues with AirPods battery life after holding onto them for a couple of years.
October 30, 2020
AirPods 3 to have shorter stem, replaceable ear tips; coming in 1H21
The rumor: The third generation version of AirPods will see a significant change in their iconic design, according to Mark Gurman (88.3% accurate).
- ‘AirPods 3’ will look and feel similar to AirPods Pro, but will lack some of the high-end features like noise cancellation
- Improved battery life may also come to the new model of truly wireless earbuds
- Apple may launch third generation AirPods in the first half of 2021
Our take: I’m super disappointed to hear that Apple is doing-away with the iconic AirPods design. AirPods Pro have never worked well for me and still regularly fall out of my head when I use them in any athletic capacity. I don’t think in-ear earbuds are the best option for everyone, even though AirPods Pro are beloved by a ton of people.
October 26, 2020
AirPods 2/Pro 3A283 update released with spatial audio
The news: Apple released a new software update for AirPods 2 and AirPods Pro models today, as spotted by MacRumors.
- Spatial Audio and automatic device switching for AirPods Pro are finally functional
- It’s seems the update enables new iOS 14 features for AirPods ahead of iOS 14’s release later this month
  - Headphone accommodations are also coming to AirPods with iOS 14
Our take: It’s always frustrating that we don’t know exactly what’s changed with each and every firmware update. My best guess is something for iOS 14 but it really could be anything. Tweet us @appltrack if you notice any differences after updating.
September 14, 2020
New AirPods not expected until early 2021
The rumor: Apple won’t be upgrading the standard version of AirPods until the first half of 2021, according to DigiTimes (61% accurate).
- Similar to original AirPods release in late 2016, Apple does not plan to update the popular wireless buds yearly
- Jon Prosser (78.4% accurate) previously suggested Apple could unveil a new AirPods product later this year
Our take: If you’ve been on the fence about buying new AirPods, it’s probably a good time to buy. I thought we might see some new ones later this year, but now it appears they aren’t coming until 2021. Oh well.
July 24, 2020
AirPods Pro 2D27 update released
The news: Apple just updated AirPods Pro to version 2D27, according to MacRumors.
- Like always, Apple hasn’t published any release notes, so much of ‘what’s new’ is anecdotal
- Some AirPods Pro owners have been complaining of weakened noise cancellation since November 2019
- Just weeks ago, Apple released 2D15 to both AirPods and AirPods Pro
Our take: After updating, noise cancellation seemed way stronger. It was close to launch-day levels that so many users have missed!
June 23, 2020
Future AirPods to have ‘totally wireless design’
The news: In the future, AirPods will go completely wireless, according to L0vetodream (90.5% accurate).
- The port on the bottom of AirPods will likely disappear in future versions
- All AirPods cases currently include a Lightning connector
Our take: Cosigning rumors of next year’s totally wireless iPhone, future AirPods will likely be following the trend, too. Now that I have wireless charging, I can’t remember the last time I plugged my AirPods in with the physical charging cable.
June 15, 2020