iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 have been discovered to link the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max headphones to your Apple ID, which allows Apple to leverage its Find My network and make it easy to see the AirPods location on the map, even when disconnected from your iPhone.
Earlier this year, Apple confirmed that AirPods Pro users would be able to try out beta versions of the firmware ahead of a public launch. The first effort in that regard arrived in late July. And now, the company has issued a second beta firmware version, adding yet another feature to the mix.
Over the last year and some change, what going to work looks like has changed quite a bit for a lot of people. What used to be a daily grind with traffic and public transport, or parking, or whatever else it might've been, now relies more on stable WiFi and kids not barging in on us during a Zoom call. But, what about our desks?
Apple device users responded positively to AirPods Pro and their tight integration with the iOS and iPadOS mobile operating systems. More specifically, users appreciated being able to switch listening modes directly from Control Center, which includes Noise Cancellation mode, Normal mode, and Transparency mode.
These features were once exclusive to the AirPods Pro, but fast-forward to today, and those same features can be enjoyed on AirPods Max and even certain Beats headphones like the Beats Studio Buds. One caveat, however, is that users must be running iOS or iPadOS 14.6 or newer to enjoy this functionality with the Beats Studio Buds.
Apple is now testing upcoming AirPods Pro firmware that will bring software support for some of iOS 15's audio features like ambient noise reduction and spatial audio for FaceTime calls.
There's no denying that Apple's truly wireless headphones, the AirPods and AirPods Pro, are popular. And, oddly enough, one clear sign of that booming popularity is that counterfeiters also seize on the opportunity to make a buck (or millions of them). Which is exactly what the United States Customs agency has seen, especially recently.
The rumor mill has been issuing leaks regarding Sony's newest truly wireless earbuds. And now they are officially official. Sony has finally taken the wraps off the WF-1000XM4.
With iOS 15's announcement out of the way, it's time to get to AirPods.
The rumor mill has been pumping out expectations for new AirPods and AirPods Pro for quite some time. But the new truly wireless headphones have yet to actually launch.
And while we're still waiting, we've got new reports to sift through. This time around it's from Bloomberg, with Mark Gurman aiming to tell us what to expect this year. In his latest report, we learn that Apple is still planning on launching new AirPods and AirPods Pro models. So, that's the good news.
A leaker claims that Apple is working on a future software update that will enable you to stream high-fidelity audio in the lossless formats on your AirPods after all.
Earlier today, Apple seeded the release candidate for iOS 14.6 and tvOS 14.6 (along with other platforms). Along with the latest version of the pre-release software, it seems a new pair of headphones is being hinted at, too.
Apple’s AirPods Pro sent a shockwave through the earbud industry when they became some of the first wireless earbuds to support active noise cancellation. Fast-forward to today, and even Apple’s newer AirPods Max over-ear headphones support this feature along with transparency.
But Apple isn’t the only brand pumping out earbuds and headphones with active noise cancellation and features similar to that of the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. Sadly, the company limits iOS’ native controls to the first party audio consumption devices — requiring the use of third party apps to control third party accessories (eww).