Can someone confirm my AirPod Assumptions?

[adamjackson]

Before I buy, i want to make sure my AirPod assumptions are correct:

I'd like a seamless all-day AirPod experience for interacting with my computer, not for music but for communication & Siri.

Devices:

1. iPad Pro 9.7
2. iPhone 7
3. MacBook 15" Late-2013 (BT4.0)

I'd like to put on my AirPods on first thing in the morning like right when I wake up and have News / Instapaper read to me that's on my iPad and keep the AirPods in when I get in the car and then when I dock my iPhone into my Car w/ CarPlay, the Podcast will play over CarPlay (Overcast) but I don't have to take the AirPod (single) out.

I can walk into the office and tell Siri to send a message or confirm an appointments. I can wear them at my desk and open Spotify on my MacBook pro and music comes into the AirPods automatically w/o having to do anything while the iPhone stays docked on my desk.

When i tap the AirPod, I can dictate a message out to Siri on my Mac or ask a question or tell the computer to pause / mute.

I can then switch to iPhone audio when I walk to Lunch by having Siri call my mom. and sort of repeat this scenario throughout the day.

Note, through out the day, the iPhone is always on me and to and from work, the iPad is with me in a backpack and while at my desk, I have an iPhone, iPad and MacBook plugged in within 2 feet of me.

Can AirPods intelligently switch between devices w/o the awkward moment of a song blasting out of my MacBook because I forgot to go to Bluetooth audio sys-prefs and change the output source?

Can I reliably wear one all day switching from one ear to the other (since each bud is only rated @ 5 hours) and basically make these my constant connection to all of my devices for Music, communication, home automation (my entire house has about 40 HomeKit devices), etc?

If so, I'm going to buy them. If the experience is not very seamless, then I'll just wait until Gen 2.

 

[betasp]

No, I cannot confirm but I am hoping for a similar experience. I hope it is am seamless between audible and my email and calendar as possible.

 

[blairh]

Before I buy, i want to make sure my AirPod assumptions are correct:

I'd like a seamless all-day AirPod experience for interacting with my computer, not for music but for communication & Siri.

Devices:

1. iPad Pro 9.7
2. iPhone 7
3. MacBook 15" Late-2013 (BT4.0)

I'd like to put on my AirPods on first thing in the morning like right when I wake up and have News / Instapaper read to me that's on my iPad and keep the AirPods in when I get in the car and then when I dock my iPhone into my Car w/ CarPlay, the Podcast will play over CarPlay (Overcast) but I don't have to take the AirPod (single) out.

I can walk into the office and tell Siri to send a message or confirm an appointments. I can wear them at my desk and open Spotify on my MacBook pro and music comes into the AirPods automatically w/o having to do anything while the iPhone stays docked on my desk.

When i tap the AirPod, I can dictate a message out to Siri on my Mac or ask a question or tell the computer to pause / mute.

I can then switch to iPhone audio when I walk to Lunch by having Siri call my mom. and sort of repeat this scenario throughout the day.

Note, through out the day, the iPhone is always on me and to and from work, the iPad is with me in a backpack and while at my desk, I have an iPhone, iPad and MacBook plugged in within 2 feet of me.

Can AirPods intelligently switch between devices w/o the awkward moment of a song blasting out of my MacBook because I forgot to go to Bluetooth audio sys-prefs and change the output source?

Can I reliably wear one all day switching from one ear to the other (since each bud is only rated @ 5 hours) and basically make these my constant connection to all of my devices for Music, communication, home automation (my entire house has about 40 HomeKit devices), etc?

If so, I'm going to buy them. If the experience is not very seamless, then I'll just wait until Gen 2.

You won't get any proper answers IMO until your fellow forum members have AirPods in hand. Not till next week.

I will say that even though AirPods should connect to all your Apple devices signed into iCloud, you will need to switch the source of the bluetooth within the device itself. See this.

 

[adamjackson]

Great point. I assumed someone had written a review describing this scenario and confirming it. If audio is not playing from iPhone and I open iTunes, I was hoping it'd detect I had an AirPod in my ear and use that by default or ask once if that's what I prefer. having to change sources via a menu would ruin the fun.

 

[Sheza]

No, you won't be able to do what you are saying.

You still need to tell the MacBook that you want the input/output source to be the AirPods. Seamless switching only occurs between iPhone and Apple Watch.

But you don't have to go to system preferences. You select the input/output device form the speaker icon in the menu bar.

 

[adamjackson]

and if I go out for lunch and get out of reach of the MacBook, it's likely the iPhone will just grab the AirPods again and we're back in business?

 

[The Game 161]

and if I go out for lunch and get out of reach of the MacBook, it's likely the iPhone will just grab the AirPods again and we're back in business?

As far as i'm aware the cloud remembers what device the airpods is enabled on.

Will test it on monday

 

[satinsilverem2]

I have the beats solo 3 wireless that contained the same w1 wireless chip inside and I am using them with a 2011 MacBook Pro with 4.0, an iPhone 7 plus, and an iPad Pro 9.7 and they switch seamlessly in my observations.

 

[Rigby]

I don't think it will be quite as seamless as you imagine. I just read a review in German on Heise. According to them you have to manually switch if you have two devices in range of the Airpods. The difference from regular BT headphones is that you don't need to disconnect from the currently connected device first. But apparently the system is currently not smart enough to switch automatically when, say, a music app is started on one device. It is conceivable though that Apple may add such capabilities via OS upgrades later (it should be technically possible, since the pairing mechanims are based on Bluetooth LE signaling that can be triggered by software).

They also mention that, if you switch the Airpods from a phone playing music to a Mac, the music on the phone continues playing through the speakers.

 

[adamjackson]

They also mention that, if you switch the Airpods from a phone playing music to a Mac, the music on the phone continues playing through the speakers.

Exactly what I don't want. sigh. Maybe Get 2 will be better. Thanks so much for the info!