I had Apple support tell me mine were fake because the did not expose the full settings options to iOS 18. Even the Apple support reps weren't informed as to how needlessly crippled these things were without forcing an upgrade to the universally despised iOS 26 dumpster fire. It took support a couple weeks to figure out how their own product even worked.
Sometimes with mine there's nothing I can do that will make the ANC work properly again. I've had luck by blowing on the microphone though. It's strange because it's usually just one of the earbuds goes rogue. I'll put them away and then next time I go to use them they're fine.
Adaptive is meant to change the amount of ANC depending on the situation. If you're in a quiet environment, it will seem as if there's no ANC at all, but as you go into a louder area, you'll notice the ANC kicking in a little harder and the ambient noise will be reduced.
You open a product you know well, but it feels cheap and plastic-like. Then you notice on the box that it was manufactured in a country different from where Apple usually produces its products. That rings counterfeit alarm-bells for me.
No need to reset. You just need to be patient. Also my case updated later.
Have you contacted Apple to get a replacement set? It sounds like they are defective. It’s unfortunate but it happens.
Comments along this line are a relief at least in knowing it’s not just my pair. Especially while flying recently I keep getting this awful high pitched sound and I’m sure Apple will refuse to replace them.
I have been speaking to apple about this but they say my AirPods are authentic and should work.
yes, go to a friend with a phone on iOS26, let them register yours, wait until the update is finished, have your friend delete your airpods from their "find my", re-register them with your phone, done. it's a truly seamless apple experience that will connect you to others in ways like you've never imagined before.
I’ve always found that if Apple finds a problem with their products they follow through and replace them.
I believe it's improved with updates. I used to have an issue where it would turn up the volume for background noise, then turn it down below where it was before, which was annoying. It seems to have improved over time.
Really? I fall asleep to music every night with my APP3s in, and the only complaint I have so far is the lack of high end definition. The added bass response compared with the APP2s (which seemed relatively (too?) flat) is nice, but it seems to have come at the cost of treble response. Hopefully Apple will continue to dial in the sound.
Well I’m only 10 days into my 3’s coming from 2’s and I find the highs more bright than previous ones. Most reviews claim the sound profile is a V response… I find that pretty accurate. Most genera I listen to is jazz and the enhanced bass response is a pleasant surprise.
I've always found they simply replace with the same faulty item - eg 17" PowerBooks got the same faulty motherboard replaced in them under the recall so obviously failed later, those faulty keyboards were replaced with the same ones (that apparently VERY rarely fail) and thus they absolutely failed all over again, etc. Apple are such a great company but also a nightmare sometimes - heck bugs I have reported in their OS years and years later just go unfixed whereas other vendors bam, fixed weeks or months later. 🙁
