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Apple Launches AirPods Pro Service Program for Crackling/Static Problems and ANC Issues

I find it weird this is only coming out now. I bought my original pair in November 2019, and reported the crackling issue in March 2020. Apple shipped a new pair (not just one, even though I had only had the issue in one of the AirPods) immediately with a pre-paid return envelope to return the original pair. They did put a £170 pre-authorization on my CC which was cancelled the originals were received.

So far the replacement pair has been fine.
 
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katbel said:
I think I have ANC issue since a long time but how can I gauge that? I know that using some Bose in the past the sound was completely clean and no background whatsoever . With the AirPods I can hear background, soft but I can hear it. Is this correct?
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The Bose are over the ear and much larger... yes they do a better job. What you described is normal.
 
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defomicron said:
as a poor person i can't stand it. they admit the product is defective but the wealthiest corporation ever in history needs me to lend them money and then they get to decide behind closed doors whether or not i was lying. not to mention we're in a pandemic and i'm sending them used earbuds.
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A poor person that buys luxury AirPod pros...and yes they close all of Cupertino to discuss each pair and each person. They charge the card to insure you return them. No doubt they could wait to send them until they receive them but then someone would claim about time without them. This seems completely reasonable. Or do as I did, go to the store. No charge. No wait.
 
heyyoudvd said:
And they didn’t subtract that from the rebate amount on the credit card hold?

I didn’t think they’d want the tips, but the drawings include them, so I wasn’t sure whether not including them would cause Apple to charge me a few bucks.
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Unless the process has changed, when I sent my right airpod pro in back in April, I did not include the tips and wasn't charged for them. I now have an extra medium tip that the new one came with I guess, although I use the Large size in both ears.
 
techfreak23 said:
Wait, they included the other sizes? I didn’t see any others in any of the three replacement boxes I received or else I would have assumed to keep them. I didn’t want the medium ones since I use the small ones so I sent them back.
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I have an extra medium tip from sending my broken right airpod back in April (I don't think they send all new tips of each size). So I kept all my tips before sending it back. I'm pretty sure the instructions tell you what to do, I wouldn't have decided myself to just keep them.
 
Just returned from my appointment at the Apple store with both AirPods replaced for free. Checking the serial number suggests they were manufactured end of Sept/first week of Oct.

Noise cancelling is much better, although my Earfit test still didn't work, even with the largest tips. I do have big ears though! Might need to find some alternatives.
 
I literally just ordered a pair a few days ago because they were $50 off. They haven’t arrived yet, should I return them? I wonder if Apple is doing what they did with the butterfly keyboards and just replacing them with the same flawed design.
 
az431 said:
Before October 2020 does not include any manufactured after October 31, 2020. So no, not all of them.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions to which the answer should be obvious.
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He wrote that on October 31, genius. :rolleyes: At that point in time, every Airpod Pro in existence was manufactured on or before October 31, so what he said was completely correct.
 
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Well just called Apple. I have the crackling in one ear pod. They will replace both for me for free. They rep told me to not include the ear tips if that helps anyone. Another problem that I hated but didn’t really know it was a problem was hearing my footsteps when I was on walks. I would use transparency mode so I could hear traffic. I sure hope this get fixed when I receive my new pair. again they are replacing both and I only know of the problem for sure in one. They will put a hold of $195.98 on my credit card. They sent me an email to process the payment.
 
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Oh I forgot to mention this in my last post. I had asked the rep if there was a redesign, or a newer version and would I be assured I would be getting the updated version Or should I wait a few weeks to make sure I get the updated ones. The rep stated that it was a “bad batch and they had identified the bad batch”. No change in process or hardware. Not sure one batch is a whole years worth of APP’s. also worth noting the rep didn’t really seem to focus on my serial numbers either.
 
Thank you! Replaced my right one last month due to this issue with 2 weeks of warranty left. Nice to have another year.
 
Apple_Robert said:
I have always had a problem with the right tip failing the test. It usually takes multiple attempts before it passes. Hopefully, ordering a new set from the replacement program (yesterday) will correct that problem.
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That’s ear wax.

If you get some blue tack and stick in the port that goes near your ears, remove it and repeat about 10 times, the test will pass.

It’s a design flaw with how the microphone has been positioned. I remain sceptical Apple has resolved it but I will see soon.
 
My view is that if you use them for exercise they fill up with wax more quickly. If you don’t the ear tip test works for much longer.

But my honest belief is that given time, the ear test will inevitably start to fail.

I happen to think the Apple tips are also poorly designed in that they become slippery with ear wax as well but the AirPods themselves are definitely flawed in terms of design as I mentioned because I have the same issue with third-party tips.
 
Apple support just replaced two defective Air Pod Pro’s for me last week due to an intermittent short, medium-
pitched buzzing noise. They were purchased in late 2019. We didn’t isolate the issue as to whether I had the noise reduction setting enabled or not but the buzzing occurred while I had Apple on the phone so it was easy for them to concur that mine had an issue. What I don’t know yet is whether my replacements are “new production” that have the buzzing issue fixed except that the replacements work fine. I did make sure that the new ones self-updated to the latest firmware.
 
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I had mine replaced a month ago and the sound quality blew me away. Not sure if it was dirt or what but the new pro's Apple provided me were astounding! Richer fuller sound, more bass. They still are holding up.
Rep said the firmware is blowing the drivers and a new one expected at some point (unknown when)
 
GigabitEthernet said:
Whoever gets the new AirPod replacements first, please let us know about the manufacture date.
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Got both of mine replaced yesterday from my local Apple store. I made the appointment via chat support for the crackling issue and when I arrived, they did a quick test and replaced both.

I bought them originally around mid-August this year. The firmware on the new ones is 2D27, which implies that the manufacture date is around mid-June of this year. So my new replacement APP's were probably manufactured around the same time as these replacement Pods, which seems to provide more evidence for it being a batch issue.

So far so good though!

Edit: Whoa! First post here after being away for more than 8 years! I better update my signature - what a throwback to old Apple gear.
 
Bauer24 said:
Got both of mine replaced yesterday from my local Apple store. I made the appointment via chat support for the crackling issue and when I arrived, they did a quick test and replaced both.

I bought them originally around mid-August this year. The firmware on the new ones is 2D27, which implies that the manufacture date is around mid-June of this year. So my new replacement APP's were probably manufactured around the same time as these replacement Pods, which seems to provide more evidence for it being a batch issue.

So far so good though!

Edit: Whoa! First post here after being away for more than 8 years! I better update my signature - what a throwback to old Apple gear.
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Any chance we can check the serial number to get some more precision on it?
 
mellofello said:
Airpods pro have been the most unreliable Apple product, and even the most unreliable electronic I have ever bought.

I have only had them since spring and had both pods replaced twice, and the case once.
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What did the case have? I had mine change twice already because it didn't Qi-charge anymore
 
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