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My AirPod Pro’s smell like....
- Thread starter enduro0125
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the smell is coming from when the airpods are charging. i did a 24 hour isolation test. took the airpods out of the case and aired them out and also aired out the case (left it open) ... smell went away for both the airpods and also inside of the case ... after i put the airpods back into the case and it started charging again - the smell came back once i opened the case again - so probably something going on with the charging ... and yes i get that fruitty pebbles candle smell too ... smells sweet, but most likely toxic as its nauseating - apple needs to address this issue asap with their supplier
The plasticizers you are talking about are in plastic and rubber. The tips on AirPod Pros are made from silicone. I'm assuming you are using the Apple ones--aftermarket tips could be made from anything.
Back in the day when Macintosh first came out they actually did smell like apples when the plastic around the machine was removed
Great so they’re going to smell like methyl methacrylate?
I’m still awaiting mine to arrive.
Mine have stopped smelling like the strong rubber smell they had when I first got them. Now they just smell like the funk that is growing in my ears.
This is good news, I will stop washing my ears in the hope that the smell war will be won by my earwax.
Agreed, these odors are no laughing matter. It's the same as "new car smell". Automotive antifreeze also has a pleasant mild sweet odor to it, and is equally toxic to consume (pet hazard) or to breathe.
The VOC's off-gassing from plastic products are powerful endocrine disrupters and act like synthetic hormones in the body. They may smell sweet, but the effects on the human body are well known, and all bad.
Mine smell awful, I've never had this happen before with headphones, I owned beats for years and they were fine but uhm.. the smell of my airpod max is becoming increasingly intolerable, at seems to get worse as the months pass? At first, I thought it was just sweat, but no matter how much I clean them.. they smell.. weird, for me the smell is a combination of berry and wet dog. 
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
I am late to the party (happening a lot as I just purchased three Apple devices after not having done so in many years, and I purchased all late in their product cycle).
Anyhow, I just opened my AirPods Pro and was taken aback. At first I thought it was some eco-friendly packaging but then I realized the AirPods and case themselves smell (as does all the packaging).
I wish I could say it was like blueberries, but it's a toxic type smell. I put them in another room to air out, but if they don't I'll return them. Maybe this is why the sale was so good. I can't imagine using them if that smell doesn't go away. I don't want to breathe something like that in--well anymore than I have.
To me, it's like permanent marker . . . but not like one I'm familiar with. I know new products have a "new" smell, but this beyond that. I think there must be different smells because I would not describe this as like blueberries.
My dad though they smelled like nail polish remover.
He usually thinks I blow things out of proportion but he was taken back by the smell too.
Edit: Also, I noticed they are made in Vietnam. That's a first for an Apple product for me. Not saying it's related, but it was interesting to see.
Anyhow, I just opened my AirPods Pro and was taken aback. At first I thought it was some eco-friendly packaging but then I realized the AirPods and case themselves smell (as does all the packaging).
I wish I could say it was like blueberries, but it's a toxic type smell. I put them in another room to air out, but if they don't I'll return them. Maybe this is why the sale was so good. I can't imagine using them if that smell doesn't go away. I don't want to breathe something like that in--well anymore than I have.
To me, it's like permanent marker . . . but not like one I'm familiar with. I know new products have a "new" smell, but this beyond that. I think there must be different smells because I would not describe this as like blueberries.
My dad though they smelled like nail polish remover.
He usually thinks I blow things out of proportion but he was taken back by the smell too.
Edit: Also, I noticed they are made in Vietnam. That's a first for an Apple product for me. Not saying it's related, but it was interesting to see.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Well I got a replacement pair, and they smell the same. It's a bit lighter this time, but not a smell you have to go looking for.
I can see this time how people *might* think it's fruit like, but it's really a toxic type smell. I was smelling it and my hair fell forward, and it's strong enough I swear I still smell it in my hair a bit.
This is kind of insulting to the customer. I just bought 3 apple products (iPhone 13 mini, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro)--the first apple purchases in a long time, and each leg of that ecosystem is falling apart in its own way. But these are unusable, and each manufacturer (Samsung, Google, Apple, etc.) makes their headphones work best within their ecosystem. AirPods should be the best choice for me, and I've gotten two brand new sealed boxes, and both are like this.
It's not a good sign to customer satisfaction when you're worried you've affected your health by just breathing near the product and your first instinct is to wash your hands (and hair in my case).
Just bringing this thread back from the dead to ask if this smell ever goes away. Brand new AirPods Pro 2 and one of the first things that I noticed is that they smell strange. Searching lead me to this thread. Is there any point in swapping them or is this just the way it is?
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Everything I've read had led me to conclude that all AirPods Pro, both generations, have this noxious odor and that for whatever reason some people don't notice or don't care. The consensus based on reading many threads on the Apple Discussions site is that it comes from the charging case and is so strong the smell is impregnated in the AirPods themselves, as well. Many people say they've called Apple and been told by a rep that they're the only one to have ever reported that. I had the same experience, where I called to notify them and was told I was the only person who had ever said that. I tried an exchange and the next pair was exactly the same. I think it's really bad. I spent way too much money on the Apple ecosystem and their best wireless headphones that would work the best with that ecosystem are unavailable for use to me because I'm not willing to be exposed to whatever noxious chemical it is that is causing that smell.
Was wondering why I didn’t hear anything….They go in your ears, not your nose.
It’s a legit question. Why is it so difficult to get an answer on this group sometimes? I can smell them (yes, using my nose, not my ears) when they are in my ears. It’s pretty strong. If the smell does go away over time then they are worth keeping. If not, then not.