6 AirPods Changes Coming in iOS 26

[MacRumors]

iOS 26 adds new functionality to the AirPods, which will be available this fall when Apple releases iOS 26 and new AirPods firmware to the public.

Camera Remote

The AirPods can be used as a camera remote for the Camera app or third-party iOS camera apps. Just connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and then press and hold on the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording.

When you're finished, a second press and hold gesture will stop the recording. If you have an Apple Watch, you can already control your iPhone remotely from your wrist, but the AirPods have the potential to be even quicker since it's a physical gesture rather than a series of steps that include opening an Apple Watch app.

Studio-Quality Recording

The AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 support recording studio-quality audio for interviews, podcasts, songs, videos, and more. Apple says that the feature can be used to record high-quality vocals while on the go, with background sounds filtered out thanks to Voice Isolation.

You can record higher-quality audio when making videos or using your devices to do things like record a podcast.

Improved Audio Quality

The H2 chip in the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 brings more natural vocal texture and clarity to iPhone calls, FaceTime calls, and all CallKit-enabled apps like Zoom.

Studio-quality audio recording and improved call quality are available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and support the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, third-party camera apps, and video conferencing apps.

Beta Updates

With iOS 26, Apple is adding an option to more easily install beta updates on AirPods. There's a new update interface when you connect your AirPods to your iPhone and tap into them in the Settings app.

Pause Audio for Sleep

If you're listening to music, a podcast, or a book while you're in bed and you're wearing AirPods, the AirPods will pause your audio when you fall asleep if you toggle on the new "Pause Media When Falling Asleep" option.

You'll find it in the AirPods settings after connecting your AirPods to your iPhone, but you'll need the new AirPods firmware and iOS 26. In addition to saving your spot in an audiobook or podcast, it will also preserve battery by turning your AirPods off so they're not running all night.

This feature also works with Beats earbuds.

Keep Audio in Headphones

iOS 26 addresses an irritating issue that happens with CarPlay and AirPods. There's a new "Keep Audio in Headphones" option that prevents audio from switching to car speakers or Bluetooth speakers when you're listening to music through the AirPods.

With the option on, your music will continue playing in your AirPods when you get in the car. You can turn it on in iOS 26 by going to Settings > General > AirPlay and Continuity.

Read More

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.

Article Link: 6 AirPods Changes Coming in iOS 26

 

[iamgalt]

The AirPods can be used as a camera remote for the Camera app or third-party iOS camera apps. Just connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and then press and hold on the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording.

Everyone's gonna start getting pictures of themselves with their hand up at their ears. 😁

 

[jz0309]

it is actually great to see updates to the AirPods, while I will not use all of them, I do appreciate that.

 

[mjs916]

How does it know when you’re falling asleep?

 

[Timpetus]

I really wish it was clearer how the CarPlay-AirPods interaction/handoff works, because I go back and forth a lot. It's especially annoying when I arrive at the store, turn off my car, put my AirPods in, then realize the podcast I was listening to kept playing because it didn't recognize that I'd turned off the car fast enough. Then I have to skip backwards to find where I left off. It seems to work better some times than others, and I'm not sure if that's because I'm using two different cars, or I sometimes give it enough time to recognize that it's not connected to CarPlay any more and it automatically moves playback to the time of the disconnect.

 

[Timpetus]

Everyone's gonna start getting pictures of themselves with their hand up at their ears. 😁

Here's hoping it'll automatically use the timer function when taking photos and will trim the start and end of videos...

 

[ApAx]

I hope that the setting for Keep Audio in Headphones extends to bluetooth connectivity on PCs. When I need to talk to my work helpdesk, I call using my cell phone with AirPods since I know I will likely need to reboot a few times. Every time the pc reboots, AirPods disconnects from iPhone and connects to the PC and I have to manually switch audio back to iPhone.

 

[Valen1]

Now can you stop the AirPods from switching between devices? Sometimes I have two audio sources going at one time and I don't want to switch!

 

[goobot]

How does it know when you’re falling asleep?

This is my question as well, I wonder how well it will work

 

[brilliantthings]

Now can you stop the AirPods from switching between devices? Sometimes I have two audio sources going at one time and I don't want to switch!

You can do that on iOS 18

 

[tomtad]

That's a great graphic btw

 

[spaxxedout]

The case blinks if the power is low.

 

[tim_apple]

Clever thumbnail.

 

[whcchief]

That's a great graphic btw

I'd wear them!

 

[CharlesShaw]

The tip from this MR article is better because you won't be wearing AirPods.

Remotely Control Your iPhone Camera – No Apple Watch Needed

Remotely controlling the shutter on your iPhone's camera lets you include yourself in the photo while avoiding the limitations of a selfie. For...

www.macrumors.com

 

[CausticSoda]

I would settle for it simply becoming better about switching between devices (in terms of it working consistently and doing a better job of working out when switching is not appropriate) and not dropping connections randomly or suddenly "going silent" for no apparent reason, even though they are still connected and were working.

 

[markgpearse]

I guess I'm getting old because some of these improvements seem very complicated and difficult to use, e.g., camera remote. I do think pause audio for sleep is a neat upgrade.

 

[un_homme]

Isn't driving with earbuds illegal and unsafe?? How is Keep Audio in Headphones in CarPlay a feature?

 

[rlewisphilly]

How does it know when you’re falling asleep?

Siri will ask you 3x "Hey, are you awake"? (JK)

 

[cyberhippy]

I'm curious how they define "studio quality audio" - I work in pro audio, when I dump recordings to WAV files what numbers should I use to avoid a translation?

 

[dannyyankou]

How does it know when you’re falling asleep?

AirPods have accelerometer sensors for Spatial Audio. I’m guessing it has to do with detecting when you haven’t moved your head for extended periods of time.

 

[Emanuel Rodriguez]

That's a great graphic btw

Yeah, I was noting how they made the airpod into a six. Clever! Only works when 6 happens to be a relevant number, lol.

 

[Kygooglenerd]

Unfortunately, the dog ate my Pro2s. 🙄 Well, didn't eat, chewed and spit out. Waiting on the Pro3s.

 

[Earendil]

Isn't driving with earbuds illegal and unsafe?? How is Keep Audio in Headphones in CarPlay a feature?

Answer: You’re the passenger.

I’m also not so sure that listening to music with pass through enabled is necessarily illegal. It depends on how the law is written. And it wouldn’t be unsafe, right?
These things can be used as low level hearing aids as well.

But yes, generally speaking you’re supposed to be driving as best you can within reason. Just because someone has worse hearing then you don’t make what you’re doing legal (ymmv).

 

[bassjunky]

This is my question as well, I wonder how well it will work

Can y'all actually fall asleep with AirPods in? Serious question. I don't think I could, because ironically, my ears get tired of them being in there after a few hours.