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There was a very real issue with a firmware release (2C54) in late 2019 that destroyed active noise cancellation. It took a long time for Apple to address, but a firmware update in May 2020 (2D15) restored the level of active noise cancellation close to what it had been prior to the bad firmware.

It's because of this that I approach any AirPods Pro firmware release with a lot of hesitancy.
and that is the "issue" that was retracted by some of the loudest complainers. The fact that you can say it was not as good is not the same thing as measuring it. Most of the "issues" were only documented anecdotally. I'm not saying that there wasn't an issue, just that some of the people painting this as a major issue later said oopsie I got that one wrong. I do not blame you for approaching skeptically, but without actual measured results from qualified sources, it is not necessarily a reality.
 
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The fact they work well for you means very little in the context of this argument. You're satisfied and that is great for you.

I bought APP on day 1 and the noise cancellation has never been as good as that initial firmware and it was a significant reduction. While they are good enough for most of my needs, Apple should provide firmware release notes and give people the option to update or not.
How did you measure it? The fact that some people came up with an "issue" that they later retracted leaves some skepticism also, you state the original was better, yet there is simply no way to verify that unless you measured it. It is easy to think something is true and to "hear" the truth of it, but without measurements, it is not necessarily a reality. Take the phenomena of an old AM radio in a truck, why does it actually sound good after a few hours of nothing else to listen to? The ears and your perceptions change to accommodate the reality. Same thing on noise cancellation. One day you think its great, you perceive it as great, another day you think it is less or better. Without being able to measure, you really just don't know.

As to release notes and update options I hear you. They allow you to do automatic or manual updates for OS, Apps, etc, why not non-security related firmware?
 
Me too. Went back to V2s as the pros are horrible or they don't fit me correctly. I always have to think about them: putting them in right, constantly adjusting, and never passing a fit test with different variants of ear tips. I hope the V3s are like the renders. Best of both worlds.
That’s interesting. I don’t have the proper ear holes according to Sir Ive, so the AirPods Pro with their silicon tips are phenomenally better for me.
 
I just wish they would auto connect to my AppleTV, if I put them in and not using my phone I rather they connect to my APTV without me having to manually do it all the time.
Guess I'll wait until v2 of the Max comes out or goes down in price and buy a pair dedicated to watching tv
 
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and that is the "issue" that was retracted by some of the loudest complainers. The fact that you can say it was not as good is not the same thing as measuring it. Most of the "issues" were only documented anecdotally. I'm not saying that there wasn't an issue, just that some of the people painting this as a major issue later said oopsie I got that one wrong. I do not blame you for approaching skeptically, but without actual measured results from qualified sources, it is not necessarily a reality.
How can any of these issues be documented properly when there's no way to downgrade firmware, and it's difficult to even reliably prevent or force an update?

To really test if the problem was caused by an update, you need to do an experiment. Test AirPods with firmware A, test on firmware B, then test on firmware A again to rule out an environmental change. Since this is impossible, we're only ever going to hear anecdotal evidence.
 
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How did you measure it? The fact that some people came up with an "issue" that they later retracted leaves some skepticism also, you state the original was better, yet there is simply no way to verify that unless you measured it. It is easy to think something is true and to "hear" the truth of it, but without measurements, it is not necessarily a reality. Take the phenomena of an old AM radio in a truck, why does it actually sound good after a few hours of nothing else to listen to? The ears and your perceptions change to accommodate the reality. Same thing on noise cancellation. One day you think its great, you perceive it as great, another day you think it is less or better. Without being able to measure, you really just don't know.

As to release notes and update options I hear you. They allow you to do automatic or manual updates for OS, Apps, etc, why not non-security related firmware?
Not sure why it is difficult to believe another user's findings. What supergt described is accurate and reflected the experience of thousands of users after the 2C54 update.


Since you seem to need formal tests to believe that this was a "real thing", please see the reference to rtings.com's tests of the AirPods Pro in the Macworld article here: https://www.macworld.com/article/23...ve-noise-cancellation-in-the-airpods-pro.html

From the article:
"It turns out I wasn’t going nuts, after all: As RTINGS revealed in a recent update to its AirPods Pro review, Apple botched its own noise cancellation with December’s 2C54 firmware update. Apple pulled the update not long after it dropped, but if you were actually using your AirPods Pro, there’s a good chance the damage has already been done. Here what RTINGS said in the review’s Noise Isolation section:

"“After updating to Firmware [2C54], we retested the headphones and our results showed a fairly significant drop in isolation performance, primarily in the bass-range. This means that with ANC turned on, these headphones won’t do nearly as good a job blocking out the low engine rumbles of planes or buses as they did before this update.”"
 
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This update augments the "When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad" part of "My Favourite Things" from "The Sound of Music"
 
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Me too. Went back to V2s as the pros are horrible or they don't fit me correctly. I always have to think about them: putting them in right, constantly adjusting, and never passing a fit test with different variants of ear tips. I hope the V3s are like the renders. Best of both worlds.
I also had big problems with AirPods Pro in my ears, but since a order Spinfit CP-1025 to them I have no issues anymore. I can really recommend to try they out.
 
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When viewing the serial number and firmware version in settings, tap the serial number to show the individual serial number of each AirPod. Tap on the firmware version for the case firmware version.

Updated with out any issues here. Case firmware went from 1.0.5 to 1.0.8
 
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Updated earlier.... sound and NC about the same. MBP connection with MacOS 11.3 same as before..... shows APP near by and option to connect. Same option to connect on iPhone. Haven't yet checked to see if the call answering issues are resolved.
 
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Apple today released a new 3E751 firmware update for the second-generation AirPods and the AirPods Pro, updating them from the prior 3A283 firmware that was released back in September.

airpodsprodesign.jpg

Apple does not offer information on what's included in refreshed firmware, so we don't know what improvements or bug fixes the new firmware brings.

There's no standard way to upgrade the AirPods‌ software, but firmware is generally installed over-the-air while the ‌AirPods‌ are connected to an iOS device. Putting the ‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌ in the case, connecting the ‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌ to a power source, and then pairing the ‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌ to an iPhone or an iPad should force the update after a short period of time.

You can check your ‌‌AirPods‌ or ‌AirPods Pro‌‌ firmware by following these steps:
  • Connect your ‌AirPods‌ or ‌AirPods Pro‌ to your iOS device.
  • Open the Settings app.
  • Tap General.
  • Tap About.
  • Tap ‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌.
  • Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."
If we find notable changes after the firmware updates are installed, we'll share details, but the software likely includes performance improvements and bug fixes.

Article Link: Apple Updates AirPods Pro and AirPods 2 Firmware to Version 3E751
"Some users who’ve received the update are reporting that Apple has fixed the bug where AirPods would start routing audio to incorrect devices. The bug was persistent on many Macs running macOS 11.2. But with the new firmware update, and macOS Big Sur 11.3, Apple seems to have fixed the bug."

I noticed that the 'noise cancellation" feature wasn't working like it was when I first purchased my AAPP's, they still let in a bit of sound after a while, that issue seems to have been fixed, IMO...
 
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Big Sur 11.3 had AirPods updates, so it would make sense if these were corresponding updates.

- ‌AirPods‌ audio routing to incorrect device for Automatic Switching
- ‌AirPods‌ Automatic Switching notifications might be missing or duplicated
It would be an absolute dream come true if this is real: Mine switch perfectly between all my iOS and iPadOS devices every single time. But on my (m1) Macs it's hit or miss and occasionally causes complete chaos where none of my Macs seem to be able to connect correctly.

My big fear is that Apple is only ever doing great Bluetooth for macOS on from-the-ground-up M1 machines, like the new iMacs(with "continuity"?), and that all the first gen M1 machines will be stuck in shoddy town regardless of future updates.

But then again, nothing seems to indicate that the Bluetooth chips in the first gen M1s are lower quality than the ones in the new iMacs, or that Apple put some kind of W1 or H1 chip in them. So we should technically see the same level of "continuity" across all Bluetooth 5.0 Macs and beyond?

Crossing my fingers..!
 
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I find myself using my old wired EarPods significantly more than my AirPods and AirPod Pros these days.

The reliability of no batteries, hence no charging + wires = no connection issues whatsoever is just a great user experience. It just works. Who knew.
 
Has there been any evidence of Apple addressing the battery longevity problem with AirPods?

My first generation AirPods, purchased a week or so after release, died last year. That's a very short life for such an expensive item that cannot get a battery swap. I didn't even use them that heavily!

I *enjoyed* my AirPods greatly when I did use them, but I can't see myself buying another pair unless I know they'll last longer than three years. It's the product's biggest flaw.
Apple's solution to this is you getting replacements under AppleCare or buying new ones.

Your only "real" option for your dead AirPods is offered by a third party https://www.thepodswap.com I haven't tried this myself but it seems to be a decent solution.
 
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The software updates this week are all Snow Leopard releases, including this firmware.

For the first time, my AirPods work when walking around. Didn't drop sound once.

Just need Snow Leopard releases for AirPod Max and the AppleTV app. (Apple Music sadly probably needs a full re-write it's so bad.)
 
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Updated earlier.... sound and NC about the same. MBP connection with MacOS 11.3 same as before..... shows APP near by and option to connect. Same option to connect on iPhone. Haven't yet checked to see if the call answering issues are resolved.
Yeah there’s no change I wish Mac auto switching worked
 
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I wish my AirPods Pro connected automatically to Apple TV, the same way as it does to iOS devices and Mac. Often, I'll be listening to something through Apple TV, I'll open my Mac Book pro, and they will switch. It's the same when I'm watching something on my iPad Pro and I want to check my phone. It was less frustrating when we did it manually. I hope the powers that be take care of it soon.
 
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