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Fact is that it performed too well and now it’s middle of the pack. Just go read the reviews at launch and you’ll see that it had fantastic ANC with the original FW. It was a pleasure walking out of the Apple Store when I got them as it muffled the world as I strolled around NYC. I was shocked at how well it performed on the subway, they were even better than my then class-leading Sony WF-1000XM3 with Comply tips.

I’m still not sure why they would neuter one of their better products like this.

And no, I’ll never get over this. lol.

I'm with you on this.

I too got mine in NY, the Fifth Avenue store, Nov 2019. I'd never had air pods before as i was a Sennheiser user but when i got the pro's demoed to me i was amazed/sold, got them there and then. They was great then, even muffled almost all the plane noises coming home. Such a shame to have them how they are now as they were perfect when i first got them.
 
Fact is that it performed too well and now it’s middle of the pack. Just go read the reviews at launch and you’ll see that it had fantastic ANC with the original FW. It was a pleasure walking out of the Apple Store when I got them as it muffled the world as I strolled around NYC. I was shocked at how well it performed on the subway, they were even better than my then class-leading Sony WF-1000XM3 with Comply tips.

I’m still not sure why they would neuter one of their better products like this.

And no, I’ll never get over this. lol.

If someone were to use the phrase “planned obsolescence” they would be fried in the comments. But, it is what it is, sometimes. Why else would they do this? Or was it to better the battery life through worse-performing ANC?

EDIT: It seems that neutering happened to reduce instances of headaches in humans.
 
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So, what is new in these updates? Anyone figure it out yet?
Just got the update. Started listening to an audio stream on the iPad - and then (as I needed to join a call) clicked connect to AirPods Pro on MacOS - noticed that it no longer stops the audio stream on the iPad.

So if I had to guess, pairing with multiple devices simultaneously now includes MacOS (I'm on 12.0.1), whereas before (afaik) it was iPhone/iPad/(and sometimes Watch) only (simultaneously).

Update: Seems that this isn't repeatable. Back to what it was before - connecting to MacOS stops the audio stream.
 
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FD6C8346-F087-4DEC-A4DF-49053D564ED4.jpeg
Someone was asking if there was anything new with the update… well, this is new…

(btw, nothing happens when I tap on it)
 
iPhone BT car audio connections are pretty awesome. It takes a few seconds for the changeover, but the sound is a lot better, and people that I am talking to say my voice sounds better too. All I know is the wife hated talking while driving before she got a radio capable of BT. Now, she'll talk the whole voyage home if I let her. :rolleyes:

Edit: (No, I am not kidding!?And when she gets home, I get it: 'So, you don't want to talk to your wife?' ? Yes dear, of course I do. 'I should find someone who will want to hear my voice!' Oh gawd, no. I have to save someone else from this, somehow.:D(She still yells at me when I call her in my car, using the Bluetooth system. *shrug*))
No mate your not any different from anyone else woman are all the same lol
 
I’d love to buy new AirPods but I can’t I’m good conscience buy new ones considering my current (1st gen) AirPods would simply end up in landfill. I wish Apple did a better job at recycling / replacing AirPods.
You can gift them to someone less fortunate v than yourself
 
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With the new update my airpod pros seem to be acting funny. When listening to music, the triple tap (previous track) doesn't work anymore. The rest of the functions work properly. Tried resetting. Forgetting. Reconnecting etc. Nothing fixes the bug. Annoying.
 
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can't upgrade, even followind the step mentioned above..
This is what I did:
- plugging the airpods into the charger, and charging to 100% (both airpods and case)
- then opened the lid of the charging case - and leaving the airpods inside the charging case - on iOS under Bluetooth - checked that the airpods were "connected"
- then - not changing any of the above (i.e. airpods + case charged to 100%, lid open, airpods still inside case, airpods connected under Bluetooth) - on iOS --> Settings - General - Software Update

That seems to have worked for me.
 
With the new update my airpod pros seem to be acting funny. When listening to music, the triple tap (previous track) doesn't work anymore. The rest of the functions work properly. Tried resetting. Forgetting. Reconnecting etc. Nothing fixes the bug. Annoying.
Interesting. Just tried this on iPhone (v15.1) - playing an Apple Music Playlist (Deutsche rock) without shuffle/repeat.

Forward (2 clicks, right airpod / left airpod) works; back (3 clicks on right airpod / left airpod) also works.

Other settings: Noise Cancelling ON; Stereo HeadTracking ON. Accessibility options OFF.
 
Not sure if it’s related but I just noticed something odd.

I had my AirPods Pro plugged into my car to charge them. I opened the case to check the battery level and my car pops up with an Android auto notice. It’s repeatable behavior

so cars, my Insight at least, detect airpods as an android device.
 
If someone were to use the phrase “planned obsolescence” they would be fried in the comments. But, it is what it is, sometimes. Why else would they do this? Or was it to better the battery life through worse-performing ANC?

EDIT: It seems that neutering happened to reduce instances of headaches in humans.

That makes sense actually, which also explains my experience: The first time I tried airpod pros, when the pandemic started, both my wife and I were working from home, and we both needed ANC headphones so we could both work in our shared home office, they gave me a huge headache, felt like massive pressure in my ears, and I returned them (my wife just doesnt like the fit) and got sonys. Then a few months ago I got my mother a pair, tried them out and was surprised that I loved them and they felt a lot more comfortable with ANC on, so I picked up a pair for myself at the last amazon sale and have been using them constantly, comfortably.

Tl;dr I wonder if the folks who hate the changes are a vocal minority and Apple did market research on folks like me, who had a negative reaction, and made the changes to fit their customer base better
 
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Not sure if it’s related but I just noticed something odd.

I had my AirPods Pro plugged into my car to charge them. I opened the case to check the battery level and my car pops up with an Android auto notice. It’s repeatable behavior

so cars, my Insight at least, detect airpods as an android device.

Yeah, nobody at Apple is gonna like to see that. Especially Steve were he alive. This is beyond funny.
 
That makes sense actually, which also explains my experience: The first time I tried airpod pros, when the pandemic started, both my wife and I were working from home, and we both needed ANC headphones so we could both work in our shared home office, they gave me a huge headache, felt like massive pressure in my ears, and I returned them (my wife just doesnt like the fit) and got sonys. Then a few months ago I got my mother a pair, tried them out and was surprised that I loved them and they felt a lot more comfortable with ANC on, so I picked up a pair for myself at the last amazon sale and have been using them constantly, comfortably.

Tl;dr I wonder if the folks who hate the changes are a vocal minority and Apple did market research on folks like me, who had a negative reaction, and made the changes to fit their customer base better
I don't know how they would have done any market research because there were no reports of Apple surveying consumers on this supposed issue, and nobody asked me directly before they nuked my $250 headphones without asking.

Even if this is the reason, this stinks of typical Apple forcing a change on us after they have our money. The worst part is that unlike iOS, iPadOS, macOS, etc. there is no option to delay or opt-out of firmware updates with AirPods. Honestly, there should be a refund or class-action for those of us who bought these headphones and got a superior experience, then forcibly had it taken away with no compensation.
 
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Had the AirPods 3 close to my iPhone on the evening and over night.
Nothing happened.

Pushed the power button and it Updated in a minute.
Thanks guys ??
We’ll see or rather hear what’s changed ?
 
I don't know how they would have done any market research because there were no reports of Apple surveying consumers on this supposed issue, and nobody asked me directly before they nuked my $250 headphones without asking.

Even if this is the reason, this stinks of typical Apple forcing a change on us after they have our money. The worst part is that unlike iOS, iPadOS, macOS, etc. there is no option to delay or opt-out of firmware updates with AirPods. Honestly, there should be a refund or class-action for those of us who bought these headphones and got a superior experience, then forcibly had it taken away with no compensation.
You realize Apple sells millions of these right? “I havent been contacted” is definitely not evidence that Apple hasnt done market research, and I absolutely gaurantee you Apple does market research on their products. They’re one of the most valuable companies and brands in the world, if you think they don’t do market research on *everything* you’re nuts. Doesn't mean they always follow the best course *from* those data, or that their data is in any way perfect, but I guarantee they do the research.

(and, for the record, I *was* asked why I was returning the headphones)
 
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Fact is that it performed too well and now it’s middle of the pack. Just go read the reviews at launch and you’ll see that it had fantastic ANC with the original FW. It was a pleasure walking out of the Apple Store when I got them as it muffled the world as I strolled around NYC. I was shocked at how well it performed on the subway, they were even better than my then class-leading Sony WF-1000XM3 with Comply tips.

I’m still not sure why they would neuter one of their better products like this.

And no, I’ll never get over this. lol.

Between the planes, sirens, subways, and ambient street noise, NYC is an ideal testing ground for noise cancellation. And the ANC with the original APP firmware in 2019 was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I had taken to using Shure in-ear monitors with foam tips, and was quite pleased, but between the additional wires and dongles, they were becoming cumbersome (and their Bluetooth solution had too much signal noise). Pressing the stem on the APP earbud and having the subway rumble just fade away was sorcery, and I quickly got used to hearing details in my music that had long been buried under the sounds of the city. And then the firmware update came along, and it felt like the outside world had been turned up by about 30%. Last night while riding the subway, I noticed that the noise cancellation seemed more aggressive (and hadn't seen articles about the firmware updates at the time), but I'll also agree with the others who have pointed out that nothing Apple has released since has approached the perfection that was the original APP FW release.
 
Between the planes, sirens, subways, and ambient street noise, NYC is an ideal testing ground for noise cancellation. And the ANC with the original APP firmware in 2019 was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I had taken to using Shure in-ear monitors with foam tips, and was quite pleased, but between the additional wires and dongles, they were becoming cumbersome (and their Bluetooth solution had too much signal noise). Pressing the stem on the APP earbud and having the subway rumble just fade away was sorcery, and I quickly got used to hearing details in my music that had long been buried under the sounds of the city. And then the firmware update came along, and it felt like the outside world had been turned up by about 30%. Last night while riding the subway, I noticed that the noise cancellation seemed more aggressive (and hadn't seen articles about the firmware updates at the time), but I'll also agree with the others who have pointed out that nothing Apple has released since has approached the perfection that was the original APP FW release.

I will honestly never buy another AirPods Pro ever again because what they've done is simply inexcusable. I get that ANC can have adverse effects on some people but the best and most un-Apple-like solution would've been to give us the option to adjust it.

I still use mine around the house but I will always opt-in for my Sony XM3s when I am out and about.
 
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