AirBuddy App for Easily Connecting AirPods to Macs Gets Redesign and New Features

[MacRumors]

App developer Guilherme Rambo last year released AirBuddy, an app that's designed to bring iOS-like AirPods integration to the Mac, and today, Rambo is releasing an updated version of the app, AirBuddy 2.

Compared to the original version of AirBuddy, the updated app features a redesigned user interface, reliability improvements, and several new features like historical usage data and custom connection modes.

AirBuddy 2 is meant to make connecting AirPods and Beats headphones to a Mac as seamless as connecting to an iOS device. When AirPods are near a Mac with AirBuddy 2 installed, a window pops up that lets you click to connect. Battery life is displayed in the menu bar or in the Today center, and a swipe lets you change to a new listening mode.

You can connect iPhones, iPads, and other Macs running AirBuddy 2 to your main Mac to monitor battery life, and in addition to making it easy to swap devices with headphones, it's also designed to make it simple to transfer a Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Keyboard between Macs with a click.

Custom connection modes are available to set listening mode, volume, and microphone access when AirPods connect to a Mac, and the app offers up historical data about headphone usage such as listening time, call time, and battery life for 12 hours, 24 hours, or the prior day.

AirBuddy 2 can be purchased from the AirBuddy website for $9.99. AirBuddy users who purchased the AirBuddy app in 2019 can upgrade for $4.99 in the app, and AirBuddy users who purchased the original app in 2020 will get a free upgrade to AirBuddy 2.

Article Link: AirBuddy App for Easily Connecting AirPods to Macs Gets Redesign and New Features

 

[The Barron]

I'd like to read some reviews of the first iteration of this app prior to spending the cash on version 2. Do I need this?

 

[WannaGoMac]

Does Big Sur do most of this ?

 

[zaph47]

Does Big Sur do most of this ?

Yes. Natively.

 

[Sebosz]

Does it work with Solo Pro?

 

[pspman71]

Yes. Natively.

what part?

 

[jonblatho]

I'd like to read some reviews of the first iteration of this app prior to spending the cash on version 2. Do I need this?

I liked the first version but wished it had more functionality than just presenting a more pleasant UI for connecting to AirPods. It looks like it’s been added and more’s on the way.

Yes. Natively.

No, it doesn’t.

 

[ersan191]

Yep best to release this before Big Sur comes out and people figure out that 90% of it is baked in to the OS now.

 

[linkinpark2206]

Upgraded immediately, I loved v1. This update has addressed every minor gripe I still had with the app. I just wish Apple would add this functionality to macOS itself

 

[zackkitzmiller]

Yep best to release this before Big Sur comes out and people figure out that 90% of it is baked in to the OS now.

Yeah-- no it's not.

 

[mdwsta4]

So instead of clicking the bluetooth icon, finding your AirPods and clicking 'connect', this app just has a popup? Am I understanding that correctly? For $10

 

[Morgenland]

Yeah-- no it's not.

AirBuddy-guy?
Or what is your opinion based on?

 

[jonblatho]

what part?

Honestly, I don’t know. I just purchased the upgrade and have not seen anything that Big Sur does natively.

If people are walking into macOS Big Sur expecting AirPods functionality other than automatic device switching (which sucks on the Mac right now due to misuse of audio APIs) they’re in for some sore disappointment.

 

[MEJHarrison]

Upgraded immediately, I loved v1. This update has addressed every minor gripe I still had with the app. I just wish Apple would add this functionality to macOS itself

Come back tomorrow for Big Sur. It IS added to MacOS. At least the basic functionality of connecting the AirPods automatically. Looks like a lot of new features were added. Not a surprise. Since the main purpose of the app is now handled by the OS, you either drop your project, or find other ways to add value for your customers.

 

[luvbug]

Honestly, I don’t know. I just purchased the upgrade and have not seen anything that Big Sur does natively.

If people are walking into macOS Big Sur expecting AirPods functionality other than automatic device switching (which sucks on the Mac right now due to misuse of audio APIs) they’re in for some sore disappointment.

Then what on earth are you basing your posts on? Have you been running the last 11.0.1 beta (likely GM) since it came out and actually tested these BT functions? If not, then what? Just pulled something out of the air for sh*ts and grins?

 

[Rudy69]

I looked at it quickly and I can't really see anything it does over the baked in functionality I've had in Big Sur since last summer. Mind you it does look really good, but I can't find anything extra it does that I would need.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Yes. Natively.

what part?

I liked the first version but wished it had more functionality than just presenting a more pleasant UI for connecting to AirPods. It looks like it’s been added and more’s on the way.

No, it doesn’t.

Consensus is the app doesnt provide any functionality not already in Big Sur?

 

[Dellfanboy]

This will all be handled in Big Sur.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I've had two sets of AirPods and, both with this app and on the iPhone itself, always have issues with the pop-up white screen showing up. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Honestly, I'd forgotten about this app because I moved to a new computer and the app just didn't work reliably enough for me to remember to install it.

...Or maybe I have installed it and it just still isn't working?

 

[jonblatho]

Then what on earth are you basing your posts on? Have you been running the last 11.0.1 beta (likely GM) since it came out and actually tested these BT functions? If not, then what? Just pulled something out of the air for sh*ts and grins?

Yes, I’ve been testing automatic device switching since it was available and kept my Mac updated. It’s still a mess on the Mac — rapidly improving, but enough of a mess that I have had to disable sound effects on multiple apps and even websites so that (for example) a new chat sound effect from Facebook’s website doesn’t cause audio to switch over to my Mac from my iPhone while playing music. Unless Apple has begun blacklisting certain high-profile incidents like these, and I don’t know why it would/should, these edge cases will continue to be a nuisance for the foreseeable future, pending updates on developers’ end.

An example of something that AirBuddy 2 allows that macOS Big Sur doesn’t is so-called “connection modes,” which resolves a major nuisance for me, an iMac user stuck on Bluetooth 4.2. Sometimes, when connecting my AirPods, macOS likes to choose the AirPods for both output and input, which given Bluetooth 4.2’s reduced bandwidth means atrocious output audio quality until you manually switch the input back to the built-in mics. It does this randomly, even with nothing open that could possibly need the microphone and certainly nothing actively using it. It’s best to just eliminate the issue altogether by telling it to connect for output only when connecting; AirBuddy allows this, and macOS alone doesn’t.

 

[its93rc]

Big Sur does a good job at handling AirPods now. It shows that the AirPods are nearby and you can click and connect easily. I use it all the time lately. It's been working well for a week or two...? I haven't updated to the latest seed & it's good enough. The final should be smoother.

 

[macsrcool1234]

imagine paying an upgrade fee for something like this, the developer must be out of his mind.

 

[ctotheb]

.

 

[bpeeps]

How much did MacRumors get for this ad?

 

[MEJHarrison]

imagine paying an upgrade fee for something like this, the developer must be out of his mind.

If you want additional features above and beyond what Big Sur offers, then this sounds like the right app. I have no problem with it. Just not something I want. In fact, I never picked up version 1. I tend to use better headphones at my desktop anyway. I rarely want to use the AirPods there. So I've never used it.

I don't see the fuss here. Big Sur handles the main part of connecting headphones. Some have claimed issues, but it's worked very well for me so far with my testing on my laptop. So the original app was expanded with additional features to make it worth the money. If those extra features aren't worth the money, don't buy the upgrade. If the new features are worth it for someone, they can upgrade.

I'm not sure how this is different than anything else out there. Some apps are worth the money and I buy them, some aren't and I don't. This one I'll be skipping, but as a developer myself, I wish him luck. It must suck to have a good idea, then have Apple implement it right out from under you.