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Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Beta Firmware With Support for iOS 18 Features

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Apple today released a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The firmware has a build number of 7A5290a, up from 7A5266c, and it is available to developers at the current time. This is the fourth firmware update that Apple has released since announcing new AirPods Pro 2 features in June.

AirPods-Pro-Beta-Firmware.jpg

There are multiple features that are coming to the AirPods Pro 2 as part of iOS 18, and these features are included in the firmware update.

With head gestures, users can control Siri on the AirPods Pro with a shake or a nod of the head. If you get a phone call, for example, you can shake your head no if you don't want to answer it, or nod to accept the call. Siri interactions can be used for responding to incoming messages, calls, and notifications.

Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the AirPods Pro to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear, and there is a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature specific to gaming. Game developers will be able to incorporate spatial audio into their games for a more immersive audio experience.

The new firmware is limited to developers at the current time, but it will be available to all iOS 18 users following the public launch of the new software.

Article Link: Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Beta Firmware With Support for iOS 18 Features
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/08/22/airpods-pro-2-beta-firmware-4/
LawJolla said:
Where does it show the build number? My firmware is 6F8, and according to Apple that's correct. (I am a developer and on the 18.1 dev beta)
Click to expand...
Did you enable the Developer mode on your iPhone? And in Settings | Developer | Pre-Release Beta Firmware -> Your AirPods Pro 2 -> On?
 
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MrMaxwell said:
Voice isolation is desperately needed - making a call on AirPods Pro is painful unless you are in a location with absolute silence. Hope to see some demos soon!
Click to expand...
I do not know if this is me, but I have issues with phone calls. If I am walking down the street with cars and people, my voice is cut and people do kot hear me. It needs be be perfect silence for a quality call
 
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I'm looking forward to the head gestures feature more than I would initially expect. After seeing the demo, I started noticing situations throughout the day (calls, workout start notifications, replies after initial query, ...) and it seems it will be quite useful.
 
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Not sure if this fixed it, but on my AirPods Max the command “Siri” isn’t recognized, only “Hey Siri.” Initiating Siri just with my 15PM is fine.
 
Last edited:
Kulfon said:
I do not know if this is me, but I have issues with phone calls. If I am walking down the street with cars and people, my voice is cut and people do kot hear me. It needs be be perfect silence for a quality call
Click to expand...
Agreed. AirPods trying to Isolate surrounded voices so the other person in the line will not hearing it. AirPods software is struggling doing this. Yes other person in the call is really not hearing street noise around me, but unfortunately there is a lot o cutting and unclear for my voice to him. I hope they fix this in this update.
 
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MrMaxwell said:
Voice isolation is desperately needed - making a call on AirPods Pro is painful unless you are in a location with absolute silence. Hope to see some demos soon!
Click to expand...
I don't get what's new, voice isolation has been working for me on the airpods pro since it was introduced on iphone.......my voice gets cut more using the airpods with voice isolation enabled on the phone but what's really new?
 
Nekronos said:
I don't get what's new, voice isolation has been working for me on the airpods pro since it was introduced on iphone.......my voice gets cut more using the airpods with voice isolation enabled on the phone but what's really new?
Click to expand...
I think we have to wait until iOS18 as well to see the new settings options.

I also agree that the microphone sound of the new beta is not the best with the „default“ setting.
 
Nekronos said:
I don't get what's new, voice isolation has been working for me on the airpods pro since it was introduced on iphone.......my voice gets cut more using the airpods with voice isolation enabled on the phone but what's really new?
Click to expand...
That's voice isolation performed by iOS, the new voice isolation is kind of processed directly by the AirPods, I guess using algorithms processed by the H2 chip.
 
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Mother Nature said:
That's voice isolation performed by iOS, the new voice isolation is kind of processed directly by the AirPods, I guess using algorithms processed by the H2 chip.
Click to expand...
That could be and might lead to improvements, but the way this is presented doesn't make that clear:

"Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the AirPods Pro to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear,"​

This is either an erroneous statement or misleading at best, as this functionality already exists.
 
Yes, it‘s pretty unclear how Apple will handle this for the user.

And how good it is being processed inside the AirPods and where the advantage is compared to the voice isolation being processed inside iOS.

Is there anyone on iOS 18 beta to share the experience?
 
Anyone having issues updating to the past 2 betas? It took me a few weeks to get 7A266C (playing around with disabling the beta in the developer mode and factory resetting the airpods

Now the same with 7A5290a. All other firmwares were (beta and stable) installed with no issues
 
Mine finally updated from 7A266c to 7A290a. I have mine set to switch between Transparency and Noise Cancellation. In the last few builds, I have noticed that Transparency is much stronger at muffling the noise around me. It used to be very minor but now it is much stronger - so strong, I would initially get confused thinking my APP2's were in Noise Cancellation mode...
 
MacRumors said:


Apple today released a new firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The firmware has a build number of 7A5290a, up from 7A5266c, and it is available to developers at the current time. This is the fourth firmware update that Apple has released since announcing new AirPods Pro 2 features in June.

AirPods-Pro-Beta-Firmware.jpg

There are multiple features that are coming to the AirPods Pro 2 as part of iOS 18, and these features are included in the firmware update.

With head gestures, users can control Siri on the AirPods Pro with a shake or a nod of the head. If you get a phone call, for example, you can shake your head no if you don't want to answer it, or nod to accept the call. Siri interactions can be used for responding to incoming messages, calls, and notifications.

Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the AirPods Pro to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear, and there is a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature specific to gaming. Game developers will be able to incorporate spatial audio into their games for a more immersive audio experience.

The new firmware is limited to developers at the current time, but it will be available to all iOS 18 users following the public launch of the new software.

Article Link: Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Beta Firmware With Support for iOS 18 Features
Click to expand...
I have found that if I connect my AirPods Pro 2 (USBC) directly to my iPhone 15 Pro via a USBC cable, the firmware is updated within 10-12 minutes of establishing the connection. Your mileage and experience may vary.
 
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