AirPods *not* as advertised with multiple devices.

[kjvmartin]

I received my AirPods. Jubilee.

They paired with my iPhone 7 out of the box and it seemed to work as advertised. Things are a bit more fussy when there are other Apple products involved. I own an iPhone 7, work gives me an iPhone 6 Plus, an iPad, and a MacBook Pro. It keeps defaulting to the MacBook Pro when I open it at my desk. I called Apple Support and was told that I have to use 4 steps to connect my AirPods to my device, now. This is even when my computer is closed, for some reason.


The "connect" button went away. This is present on all of my devices. It seems to default to my MacBook Pro every time. Returning these.

 

[RY∆N]

ouch thanks for the post.

This was one of the main features that I was looking forward to.
Saved me $160.
Thanks

 

[Nikhil72]

It will automatically connect to the last device you used if it's available. if it's not, it defaults to the iPhone. Are all devices on the same iCloud account?

 

[alFR]

They switch automatically between the iPhone and apple watch at the moment: the preproduction ones given out to journalists for review did that for all devices, but for some reason (presumably ironing out some kinks in the software?) the production ones don't. I'd expect it to get enabled in a firmware update for the AirPods or an iOS / macOS update at some point.

 

[Brookzy]

They switch automatically between the iPhone and apple watch at the moment: the preproduction ones given out to journalists for review did that for all devices

Are you sure about this?

 

[Mr.C]

It will automatically connect to the last device you used if it's available. if it's not, it defaults to the iPhone. Are all devices on the same iCloud account?

I think that's the key. All Apple devices have to be linked to the same iCloud account and all need to have the latest OS. I have an iPhone 7 Plus and iPad Pro both on the latest version of iOS and my MacBook Pro is on the latest version of Mac OS.

My AirPods are linked to all three devices and automatically connect to the last device used with them. If I want to switch to another iOS device I just bring up control centre and choose them or go to Bluetooth in the MacBook settings and choose them there. It's all pretty seamless.

It's certainly far more practical and convenient then having to repair to the device in question in Bluetooth settings every time.

 

[Nikhil72]

I think that's the key. All Apple devices have to be linked to the same iCloud account and all need to have the latest OS. I have an iPhone 7 Plus and iPad Pro both on the latest version of iOS and my MacBook Pro is on the latest version of Mac OS.

My AirPods are linked to all three devices and automatically connect to the last device used with them. If I want to switch to another iOS device I just bring up control centre and choose them or go to Bluetooth in the MacBook settings and choose them there. It's all pretty seamless.

It's certainly far more practical and convenient then having to repair to the device in question in Bluetooth settings every time.

Agree. Also, I think there's a misconception that it will play on whatever device you play from without you having to select it as an output. Apple never billed it that way. From their site:

AirPods connect automatically with all your Apple devices. They’re simultaneously connected to your iPhone and Apple Watch, and sound switches instantly between the devices. Want to listen to your Mac or iPad? Just choose AirPods on those devices.1

 

[alFR]

Are you sure about this?

Yes. From the imore review of the AirPods:

"If audio starts playing on your Apple Watch or iPad, AirPods will automatically switch to them. You can also switch to them manually using the audio source setting in Control Center. On Mac, you can switch from the icon in the menubar.

Update: With the release version, auto-switching still works with Apple Watch but not with iPad or Mac. For iPad and Mac, you now have to manually switch to AirPods in the audio source selector. That removes some of the magic so, hopefully, Apple restores that with a future update."

 

[Brookzy]

Yes. From the imore review of the AirPods:

"If audio starts playing on your Apple Watch or iPad, AirPods will automatically switch to them. You can also switch to them manually using the audio source setting in Control Center. On Mac, you can switch from the icon in the menubar.

Update: With the release version, auto-switching still works with Apple Watch but not with iPad or Mac. For iPad and Mac, you now have to manually switch to AirPods in the audio source selector. That removes some of the magic so, hopefully, Apple restores that with a future update."

Wow, I'm amazed more hasn't been said about that.

 

[CharlesShaw]

They paired with my iPhone 7 out of the box and it seemed to work as advertised. Things are a bit more fussy when there are other Apple products involved. I own an iPhone 7, work gives me an iPhone 6 Plus, an iPad, and a MacBook Pro.
...
The "connect" button went away.
...
It seems to default to my MacBook Pro every time. Returning these.

To be fair, Apple has not advertised how AirPods play with two iPhones. They show iPhone and Watch able to take the AirPods connection from each other, but they do not show an iPhone taking it from another paired iPhone, or from an iPad, or a Mac.

The "connect" button that went away only appears on an iPhone that has not been paired with AirPods before (or has been unpaired).

 

[bobTX10]

I have my iPad Apple Watch and iPhone with me and just tried to see how they could switch and as stated above the AirPods only switch seamlessly with iPhone and Apple Watch. I really hope they fix that. I love that about my Bose qc30. You just press pause on one device and play in the other.

 

[kimmen]

For iPad and Mac, you now have to manually switch to AirPods in the audio source selector. That removes some of the magic so, hopefully, Apple restores that with a future update."

If you are sitting listening to music from your iphone on your airpods while surfing on your Mac, would you like it if the music stopped and a commercial blasted in your ear every time a commercial started on your Mac?

No, "automatic" switching between every source is NOT wanted, and Apple at least has thought this through.

 

[Brookzy]

If you are sitting listening to music from your iphone on your airpods while surfing on your Mac, would you like it if the music stopped and a commercial blasted in your ear every time a commercial started on your Mac?

No, "automatic" switching between every source is NOT wanted, and Apple at least has thought this through.

This could easily be avoided though.

I would like to see a new feature, built on the existing Continuity and Handoff features. Let's call it "Now Playing Continuity", which essentially unifies the audio experience between devices. Have a single audio feed which all your devices contribute to. With Safari in High Sierra blocking autoplay videos automatically, that is the commercial hurdle overcome. You could expand this so that a device would only hijack audio if the user has actively started audio on it (i.e. exclude autoplay content en masse).

That would be a true seamless experience.

And indeed it is what we already have between iPhone and Apple Watch. I would not be surprised at all if Apple is already working on this. It would make sense to expand it to more devices.

 

[tivoboy]

This could easily be avoided though.

I would like to see a new feature, built on the existing Continuity and Handoff features. Let's call it "Now Playing Continuity", which essentially unifies the audio experience between devices. Have a single audio feed which all your devices contribute to. With Safari in High Sierra blocking autoplay videos automatically, that is the commercial hurdle overcome. You could expand this so that a device would only hijack audio if the user has actively started audio on it (i.e. exclude autoplay content en masse).

That would be a true seamless experience.

And indeed it is what we already have between iPhone and Apple Watch. I would not be surprised at all if Apple is already working on this. It would make sense to expand it to more devices.

for the very limited amount of time that "seemless" handoff between devices worked, it was a true headache. It couldn't understand which device was actually the preference and I could divine the which/how/why of when it would randomly choose to switch to my ipad, or my mac.. but always having to force it back to my PHONE where I was on a call was a true PIA

 

[Mad4clay]

I finally got a set of Air pods and I love them. I love how easily they connect to my other devices, just hit the button on the back and it unpairs from one device allowing you to begin on another device. I love the animation on said device too!

 

[Nicholecata94]

Airpods are my next purchase. Probably not for a few months though.

 

[kimmen]

This could easily be avoided though.
...a device would only hijack audio if the user has actively started audio on it...
...That would be a true seamless experience.

I agree. And the key here have to be that the system was smart enough to understand that if you actively start an audio feed on the Mac while you have the Airpods in your ear, it would channel the audio there, regardless of what was going on in the Airpods at the time. And if you didn't have them in your ears, the sound would appear in the speakers.

It's this brainless automatic switching to a device as soon as it comes within reach, or as soon as it makes a sound, I object to.