Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4

[MacRumors]

Apple today released new beta firmware that's designed for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4. The firmware is limited to developers at the current time, and it has a build number of 8B5014c.

The firmware comes as Apple is testing the iOS 26.1 update. It likely adds support for Live Translation in new languages, including Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Chinese (both Mandarin Traditional and Simplified).

With iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe, Apple added a beta firmware update installation option that's available from the AirPods settings interface when the AirPods are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which facilitates beta testing.

Developers can use the beta option to turn on beta downloads.

Article Link: Apple Releases New Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4

 

[Astuces iOS]

and again no firmware for older AirPods even Max

 

[jarman92]

Not remotely tempted, battery life on the Pro 3s is crazy good

 

[Kylo83]

Does it improve sound quality

 

[Happy_John]

and again no firmware for older AirPods even Max

Why would there be? The firmware upgrade is for the H2 chip only.

 

[tomtad]

Who's the mentalist who puts beta firmware on their AirPods?

I want to meet them

 

[Astuces iOS]

Why would there be? The firmware upgrade is for the H2 chip only.

We need more features on older AirPods

 

[bmark]

Apple's beta testing standards are beyond pathetic!

 

[nortonandreev]

Who's the mentalist who puts beta firmware on their AirPods?

I want to meet them

Me

 

[Happy_John]

We need more features on older AirPods

I don't think you understand. This update is updating features that are enabled and run by the H2 chip. There is no point releasing an equivalent update for the H1, because the H1 chip doesn't have the features that is being updated. Because the H1 chip and H2 chip are not the same.

If McDonalds releases an "updated" Big Mac, there's no point in going into KLF and demanding the Big Mac update, and there's no point in going into McDonalds and asking fora "McChicken with the Big Mac update".

There is no point releasing updates for hardware that doesn't support the features being updated. If you're specifically demanding an AirPods Max update (And I am a very happy owner of a pair myself), I honestly don't know what type of update you want for the AirPod Max. What do you want the AirPods Max to do differently, and is what you want even possible without changing the hardware inside the AirPod Max?

 

[Astuces iOS]

I don't think you understand. This update is updating features that are enabled and run by the H2 chip. There is no point releasing an equivalent update for the H1, because the H1 chip doesn't have the features that is being updated. Because the H1 chip and H2 chip are not the same.

If McDonalds releases an "updated" Big Mac, there's no point in going into KLF and demanding the Big Mac update, and there's no point in going into McDonalds and asking fora "McChicken with the Big Mac update".

There is no point releasing updates for hardware that doesn't support the features being updated. If you're specifically demanding an AirPods Max update (And I am a very happy owner of a pair myself), I honestly don't know what type of update you want for the AirPod Max. What don you want the AirPods Max to do differently, and is what you want even possible without changing the hardware inside the AirPod Max?

Yeah I know but they could add more features to this update...

They could make some h2 features available on h1

 

[Happy_John]

Yeah I know but they could add more features to this update...

They could make some h2 features available on h1

What???????

If it were an update for the H1 chip it would be a DIFFERENT update than an update released for the H2 chip!

You can't make H2 specific features available on the H1 chip because...... it's a different bloody chip. No amount of updates are going to magically transform the hardware from one physical chip to a different physical chip.

 

[Onelifenofear]

Wonder of they Fixed all the Sound issues that Linus and other reviewers ( and sound guys ) have destroyed them over.

"Linus criticized the AirPods Pro (3rd generation) for their significantly altered "V-shaped" audio signature, which emphasizes bass and treble at the expense of midrange frequencies, a change attributed to the brand's acquisition beats rather than an improvement in sound quality. He described the sound as "aggressively scooped" and unpleasant, with vocals and guitars becoming unclear and recessed, similar to the undesirable qualities of some Beats headphones but amplified"

 

[Happy_John]

Wonder of they Fixed all the Sound issues that Linus and other reviewers ( and sound guys ) have destroyed them over.

"Linus criticized the AirPods Pro (3rd generation) for their significantly altered "V-shaped" audio signature, which emphasizes bass and treble at the expense of midrange frequencies, a change attributed to the brand's acquisition beats rather than an improvement in sound quality. He described the sound as "aggressively scooped" and unpleasant, with vocals and guitars becoming unclear and recessed, similar to the undesirable qualities of some Beats headphones but amplified"

I would expect a little bit of tweaking to the soundstage, given the reaction, but it think it will be minor. Tweaking, not a radically different sound. Slightly less bass.

Rather than saying reviewers "destroyed" APP3, it think it would be far more accurate to say the reviews have been extremely mixed. Some have been negative overall, some have been positive overall. What that means to me personally is that I'd have to try them myself, as the only reviewer consensus is that the soundstage has changed, and the bass might be a little heavy, but there are not enough positive or negative reviews to base purchasing based only on those reviews.


That said, while other reviewers / YouTubers made valid criticism of the change in sound quality ( many pointing out it was a change in sound quality, which some people won't like but other people think is an improvement), Linus embarrassed himself with how he "delivered" his critique - it was painful to watch, and way too far over the line into "manbaby tantrum" territory. All the "Linus is right, Linus is wrong" slop that it generated might have been good for hits, clicks and YouTuber presence, but as a review, it was a s******w. Someone should have flagged it before it was released publcially, and it would have been a hell of a lot better if they had just reshot it, with the same criticisms, but without the , um, ... "emotion".

TLR: He embarrassed himself a bit. Or a hell of a lot. It should have been reined in by the editors.

I find it suspicious that the "review" was so melodramatic, and I wonder if that was connected to 1) LTT's viewer numbers tanking and significantly more complaints from users about their content, which wouldn't help keep the Vision Directors vision in a happy place, 2) LTT / Short Circuit gave EXTREMELY positive reviews to all the new iPhones and may have thought "We have to give Apple a kicking somehow, because we're saying too many nice things about their other releases, and we've lots of "Apple-haters" as regular viewers "and, 3) possibly most importantly "Apple don't send us free stuff but they send other YouTubers free stuff. 'Snot fair. Waaaah"

 

[No5tromo]

My thinking for each airpods firmware upgrade: Buy 1 feature get 2 bugs free

 

[boswald]

Interested to discover what this brings to the APP2 when it's officially released.

 

[Will Tisdale 🎗]

Beta firmware version for Pro 3 is 8b14c.

As for the sound - it’s not dissimilar to the Pro 2 in my opinion and I find the quality is better and the ANC is a ton better.

I don’t find at all that it exaggerates bass and treble over the mid range at all. Guitars and vocals are not “unclear and recessed” in the slightest.

Clowns on YouTube (generally pulling moronic faces in the preview thumbnail) simply complain to seek attention and their opinion is best taken with a very large pinch of salt…or completely ignored.

 

[Happy_John]

Beta firmware version for Pro 3 is 8b14c.

As for the sound - it’s not dissimilar to the Pro 2 in my opinion and I find the quality is better and the ANC is a ton better.

I don’t find at all that it exaggerates bass and treble over the mid range at all. Guitars and vocals are not “unclear and recessed” in the slightest.

Clowns on YouTube (generally pulling moronic faces in the preview thumbnail) simply complain to seek attention and their opinion is best taken with a very large pinch of salt…or completely ignored.

At this stage all the YouTube drama over this has made me ignore all and any reviews. I want to try them for myself and I am interested in hearing the opinion of actual users (not influencers) who are using them in real life, before I decide to buy or not.

So thank you. Real opinions from real users are useful.

 

[johnsmith162]

I would expect a little bit of tweaking to the soundstage, given the reaction, but it think it will be minor. Tweaking, not a radically different sound. Slightly less bass.

Rather than saying reviewers "destroyed" APP3, it think it would be far more accurate to say the reviews have been extremely mixed. Some have been negative overall, some have been positive overall. What that means to me personally is that I'd have to try them myself, as the only reviewer consensus is that the soundstage has changed, and the bass might be a little heavy, but there are not enough positive or negative reviews to base purchasing based only on those reviews.


That said, while other reviewers / YouTubers made valid criticism of the change in sound quality ( many pointing out it was a change in sound quality, which some people won't like but other people think is an improvement), Linus embarrassed himself with how he "delivered" his critique - it was painful to watch, and way too far over the line into "manbaby tantrum" territory. All the "Linus is right, Linus is wrong" slop that it generated might have been good for hits, clicks and YouTuber presence, but as a review, it was a s******w. Someone should have flagged it before it was released publcially, and it would have been a hell of a lot better if they had just reshot it, with the same criticisms, but without the , um, ... "emotion".

TLR: He embarrassed himself a bit. Or a hell of a lot. It should have been reined in by the editors.

I find it suspicious that the "review" was so melodramatic, and I wonder if that was connected to 1) LTT's viewer numbers tanking and significantly more complaints from users about their content, which wouldn't help keep the Vision Directors vision in a happy place, 2) LTT / Short Circuit gave EXTREMELY positive reviews to all the new iPhones and may have thought "We have to give Apple a kicking somehow, because we're saying too many nice things about their other releases, and we've lots of "Apple-haters" as regular viewers "and, 3) possibly most importantly "Apple don't send us free stuff but they send other YouTubers free stuff. 'Snot fair. Waaaah"

Also, seemed to me in general (not necessarily these specific reviewers) that there's (i) testing going on without knowing how to deal with adaptive EQ etc (ii) people doing listening tests who haven't done or disclosed their hearing test result, some of whom used to play in rock bands apparently.

 

[Will Tisdale 🎗]

Honest opinion - they’re an iteration on the Pro 2. Nothing radical.

They fit in the ears far better, the ANC is far better, the heart rate sensor is surprisingly useful and fairly accurate.

The sound is decent as far as I’m concerned. Clarity is better than the Pro 2. Sub-bass is definitely improved, I assume from new drivers, but even really bass heavy music doesn’t drown midrange out.
Everything that I’ve thrown at them, (metal, rock, electronic, classical etc) sounds like I would expect it to and isn’t at all objectionable.

 

[klowy79]

My thinking for each airpods firmware upgrade: Buy 1 feature get 2 bugs free

Sadly true. Not only for AirPods.

 

[rmariboe]

I’m hoping for some EQ updates, too (didn’t we use to have access to limited EQ BTW?); comparing APP2 and 3, the 2 seems to stay more true to the recordings, and they are definitely way more open and spacious sounding. APP3 seems to lean towards the Beats’ exaggerated bass and treble.
And my ears fatigue faster with the new plugs - probably because of the tighter fit (the S size doesn’t fit though) - and I get I bit sore. APP2 I can wear all day with no ill effects.

I have experienced an issue with ANC on APP3 only when closing my car door where the ANC will make a loud pop - probably trying to counter a perceived sound that’s actually just brief overpressure from the door closing. Hoping that’ll get fixed, too.

 

[lmlphx]

At this stage all the YouTube drama over this has made me ignore all and any reviews. I want to try them for myself and I am interested in hearing the opinion of actual users (not influencers) who are using them in real life, before I decide to buy or not.

So thank you. Real opinions from real users are useful.

The AirPod Pro three's sound is bad. I have the AirPod Pro twos and compared them side-by-side and the twos sound a generation ahead of threes. You might describe the sound as muddied or like listening to something through a tube. It just is not good. Even when I first got them I kept thinking I was just listening to a clip that was bad audio like on YouTube or another non-music video. I finally put my AirPod Pro twos back on and listening to the same segment with the same device and it became obvious it was the AirPod Pro threes that were. At fault.

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Is it just the buds or does the case update as well

 

[Will Tisdale 🎗]

I see two other people have posted with a different viewpoint to me on the sound, which shows how individual earphone sound is. I just did a few tests pro 3 against pro 2 and a Fiio KA7 DAC with Soundmagic E80 earphones.

They all sound slightly different. None are particularly objectionable, the pro 3 is closer to the E80 than the pro 2 is as they sound more muddied and flat compared to the E80 and pro 3, which both have better clarity and attack.

Personally I prefer the sound of the E80, but carrying around a DAC everywhere isn’t ideal.

I think ultimately it’ll come down to individual preference.