Apple Releases New Firmware Update for AirPods

WilliamG said:
That's how Bluetooth works, though. It's the same thing for me when I get in the car. My AirPods will disconnect from the phone, and the car's BT takes over.
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Apple says on the AirPod product page that they should be able to connect to both my phone and my apple watch simultaneously and be intelligent enough to know which device is playing audio and not drop the connection to my apple watch.

From https://www.apple.com/airpods/
Automatic setup. Seamless switching.
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
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After this update my AirPods now connect with my office phone. Before they would not pair. My guess is Apple updated the Bluetooth stack.
 
Here's a thought... they invented the W1 chip inside that gives them their insta-connect secret sauce. Supposedly they rely on existing bluetooth standards and are compatible with other bluetooth connections and so therefore they must be playing music via the standard protocols. What if in this to-be iPhone 8 they have put a w1 chip into the phone as well that allows it to switch to a completely different protocol that has better audio quality, range, lower power consumption, etc. I guess what I am saying is all existing airpods might contain the ability to communicate with an improved protocol that is so far dormant until the new phone comes out? Not saying it will happen but just that wouldn't that be awesome if what you got yesterday works even better tomorrow with a matching phone-side W1 or W2? This would give a lot of people a very compelling reason to upgrade their phones. Surely if you were designing a wireless chip from scratch you wouldn't limit yourself to the current standards.
 
keifer.street said:
This worked for me. Really unintuitive way to update though. Nobody would know this set of steps without researching online.
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Update had already happened for me without noticing by the time I checked the About setting. It's meant to be seamless and invisible for users, so there should be no need to go through a manual process.
 
tbluhp said:
I don't even see AirPods in the Settings>General>About area?
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In order to see the AirPods subsection in the About area, you have to have the AirPods out of the case and connected to your iPhone. Once they are connected, the subsection will appear.
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TimUSCA said:
Nothing I do gets them to show up in "About" on my iPhone.
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In order to see the AirPods subsection in the About area, you have to have the AirPods out of the case and connected to your iPhone. Once they are connected, the subsection will appear.
 
LordQ said:
No new gestures? Double tap should skip a song, not bring stupid Siri -.-
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I so agree. I really like the airpods, but mediocre sound quality and especially this insanely stupid siri implementation is really worth reconsidering.
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Applebot1 said:
How are early adopters getting on with their AirPods? Are they worth the money?
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The plus sides are really easy and reliable connectivity, good battery life, good mic quality versus really bad remote control UX (tapping brings up Siri, then you need to ask her to play the next song) and mediocre sound quality.
 
coolbreeze said:
Connect to wifi.
Open AirPod case.
Go to about. Select AirPod.

Count to 30. Shut AirPod case.
Count to 30. Open AirPod case.

Check about on AirPod settings. Mine was updated just now. Took a few tries though.

Case doesn't need to be connected to a charger.
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Connect the Airpods to WiFi?

Are there instructions for doing this with a Mac, Win10, or Android?
 
-Ryan- said:
Same - I have seen AirPods show up in the About section before (in fact the last firmware update I triggered manually by going there), but this time they're not showing up. I too am wondering whether the update is in progress, but I am still listening to music on them right now and they're connected to my phone.

Edit: I fixed this within about 2 minutes by connecting my AirPods to the charger. The firmware is now updated. I suspect the issue is that they were ready to update but that they perhaps need to be connected either to power or within their case?
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I think they don't update until connected to power.
 
Applebot1 said:
How are early adopters getting on with their AirPods? Are they worth the money?
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Totally worth it. I've already been asked by a few people at work how I like them too. To all I say, LOVE EM! Very convenient for taking calls or popping one out for quick pausing or just taking a stroll. And having no wires dangling around is something once you get used to you'll never go back.

I don't think there's any stigma of looking weird. I think it's more like " oh look he has the new apple wireless thingies"
 
I agree with the others that this firmware update seemed to have refined the audio.

One more thing I notice after the firmware update is that it's more battery optimized. Before, I remember I'd have to place the earbuds back into the case to disconnect from my iPhone. Now, the earbuds automatically disconnect from the iPhone the moment I take both out of my ear, presumably a battery saving measure.
 
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longofest said:
Apple says on the AirPod product page that they should be able to connect to both my phone and my apple watch simultaneously and be intelligent enough to know which device is playing audio and not drop the connection to my apple watch.

From https://www.apple.com/airpods/
Click to expand...

From what I'm reading, that's working as intended. They're losing the connection to your phone and then re-establishing the connection when you come into range. This is how BT is designed to work.
 
4jasontv said:
Connect the Airpods to WiFi?

Are there instructions for doing this with a Mac, Win10, or Android?
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Connect the host device to wifi (iPhone). I have no idea if they will update on a device that's not an iOS device. Mac, maybe. Windows/Android highly doubtful.
 
AirPods are my favourite new Apple product in years. You'd have to pry the from my cold dead...ugh... ears. They really do just work, feels like magic.

...Until they don't. For no reason. In the last month or so, perhaps since the last iOS update, I've sometimes had them not connect and other times have had a robotic sound in phone conversations in both directions. I understand that technology is fidgety sometimes and I'm happy to wait for Apple to perfect them. It's so worth it. Never going back to wired audio again.
 
My only disappointment with the Airpods is that they're not as smart as Bose bluetooth headphones in managing multiple connections and, especially, connecting to two devices at the same time.
 
coolbreeze said:
Connect the host device to wifi (iPhone). I have no idea if they will update on a device that's not an iOS device. Mac, maybe. Windows/Android highly doubtful.
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I contacted Apple, and they confirmed that the update automatically installs when paired to an iOS or Mac.

Let me adjust my tinfoil hat before I continue...K.

No one can tell me what the update to the two microphones paired to a GPS in my pocket actually does. They can't say that it changes battery life, or audio quality, or if it fixes any rare bugs. They can't deny that it adds a wiretap. (I don't actually think it's a wiretap, but I also don't like the automatic firmware update since it could be used to isntall something I don't want.)

Why are we not lighting pitchforks right now?
 
After a whole night both being connected and charging nothing happened.
I restarted my iPhone and 30 sec later it updated. That did the trick.
 
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