Apple Releases New Public Beta Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

[MacRumors]

Apple today provided public beta testers with updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, allowing them to test the new AirPods features in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware is only available to public beta testers and developers at the current time, and a device running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS 26 is required to install the update. The firmware has a build number of 8A5343a, up from 8A5324b, and it is the same firmware that was provided to developers earlier this week.

The firmware adds several features that Apple is debuting alongside iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe.

The AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 support improved audio quality for phone calls and video calls, plus studio-quality audio recording for interviews, podcasts, and videos. There's also an option to use the AirPods as a camera remote with the Camera app to take photos or start a video recording.

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 the beta testing.

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

 

[zorinlynx]

I'm annoyed iOS 26 is required to install this update. I want to try the improved audio quality and mic performance but want to stay on iOS 18 for a while longer.

 

[srbNYC]

No, there's no good way to force the update, so you don't have to ask.

 

[StoneJack]

I'm annoyed iOS 26 is required to install this update. I want to try the improved audio quality and mic performance but want to stay on iOS 18 for a while longer.

Does not matter what u want

 

[srbNYC]

My case got the new one, but the pods still have the prior one.

 

[brilliantthings]

Great. My airpods have been very unreliable since updating to the previous public beta.

 

[fullauto]

Any signs of live translation?

 

[jimjiminyjim]

Sweet, now I can wonder why it won't install with fresh interest. It's my new hobby. Will the beta info show up today, or not? If I toggle on the beta install, will it install, or will the beta info disappear back into the ether from whence it came?

 

[Henrik H]

Probably won’t fix talking on AirPods being very hard to understand for the others on the calls. Been that way for two to three years now, with all AirPod models, every speaker.

 

[HazMatt69]

Still stuck on 8A343a (and oddly, case is 8A324b)

 

[jimjiminyjim]

Probably won’t fix talking on AirPods being very hard to understand for the others on the calls. Been that way for two to three years now, with all AirPod models, every speaker.

I thought it was just me.

 

[dennismarquez]

Probably won’t fix talking on AirPods being very hard to understand for the others on the calls. Been that way for two to three years now, with all AirPod models, every speaker.

Never heard of this problem, and I use my AirPods (Pro 1 & Pro 2) to place phone calls ALL the time since years. My friends/family have always heard me perfectly. Even in very loud conditions.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I'm annoyed iOS 26 is required to install this update. I want to try the improved audio quality and mic performance but want to stay on iOS 18 for a while longer.

Yeah, that is totally BS to be gating Airpods updates behind iOS versions.

TOTAL BS

 

[eleco]

I've been waiting for the update since the day it was announced but it's still the old one. Of course I have the latest beta version of iOS 26 installed and I have the option to beta update AirPod pro 2 enabled. Any idea?

 

[Stonefly]

Probably won’t fix talking on AirPods being very hard to understand for the others on the calls. Been that way for two to three years now, with all AirPod models, every speaker.

I thought it was just me.

I have the same problem on my AirPods pro 2 since new.

 

[jimjiminyjim]

I have the same problem on my AirPods pro 2 since new.

That was my experience. I’d want to tell a friend or family member about how great they are while on a call with them… and they couldn’t tell what I was saying. Meanwhile the audio quality I was hearing was amazing. I just wished it could be the same for them. To be fair I still love the things. I just can’t use them for phone calls. Do you happen to be in an area with poor cell service? My area isn’t great. I sometimes wonder if the extra power needed to communicate with cell towers interferes with Bluetooth or the microphones somehow. (Using speaker phone still results in mostly decent quality so I don’t think signal strength alone is my problem)

 

[Stonefly]

That was my experience. I’d want to tell a friend or family member about how great they are while on a call with them… and they couldn’t tell what I was saying. Meanwhile the audio quality I was hearing was amazing. I just wished it could be the same for them. To be fair I still love the things. I just can’t use them for phone calls. Do you happen to be in an area with poor cell service? My area isn’t great. I sometimes wonder if the extra power needed to communicate with cell towers interferes with Bluetooth or the microphones somehow. (Using speaker phone still results in mostly decent quality so I don’t think signal strength alone is my problem)

I have good cell service, it’s the same if I do wifi calling. Like you they are excellent at everything else, don’t know what’s up with the call quality.

 

[jimjiminyjim]

I have good cell service, it’s the same if I do wifi calling. Like you they are excellent at everything else, don’t know what’s up with the call quality.

Hmm. Yep, I love the things so much I'll buy the new ones as soon as they come out, hoping that this is fixed. I should probably wait and see, but... I've had these ones since they first came out and they've been worth every penny even with this issue.

 

[bydandie]

Has anyone else been able to leave the beta on public betas? I can't see an option to switch the beta off?