Tag: AirPods Pro

Apple Was Caught Off Guard by AirPods Pro 3 Popularity

Posted on by faz_business


AirPods Pro 3 demand was so strong after the earbuds launched in September that their popularity reportedly “caught Apple off guard.”

airpods pro 3 design
“AirPods Pro 3 were supply-constrained during the quarter, and we think we would have grown year over year if we would not have been constrained,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told Reuters, in a report published alongside Apple’s record-breaking earnings results for the fourth quarter of the 2025 calendar year.

Cook was referring to Apple’s Wearable, Home, and Accessories segment, which saw around a 2% drop in revenue year-over-year. His comment implies that if Apple had realized AirPods Pro 3 were going to be such a hit, the company could have had more inventory ready to ship and might have actually had revenue growth in this segment.

AirPods Pro 3 no longer have any extended delivery delays on Apple’s online store, so it would appear that Apple has caught up on supply by now.

AirPods Pro 3 feature increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, longer battery life per charge, heart rate monitoring during workouts, improved fit for many users, increased water resistance, a new XXS ear tip size, and more.

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Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch.
Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More
Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided…

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released.
iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,…

Apple’s Next Launch is Today

Update: Apple Creator Studio is now available.
Apple Creator Studio launches this Wednesday, January 28. The all-in-one subscription provides access to the Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage apps, with U.S. pricing set at $12.99 per month or $129 per year.
A subscription to Apple Creator Studio also unlocks “intelligent features” and “premium…

Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More

Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker.
For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com.
The new…

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio.
Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple’s second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014.
Q.ai has…

AirPods Pro 3 Use Acoustic Seal Test for Optimizing Sound Quality and ANC

Posted on by faz_business


The AirPods Pro 3 use an Acoustic Seal Test to check the fit of ear tips, according to a new Apple support document. Apple says that the Acoustic Seal Test will ensure that you’re using the proper ear tip size for the best sound quality and noise cancellation.

airpods pro 3 tips
The AirPods Pro 1 and the AirPods Pro 2 have an Ear Tip Fit Test, but Apple updated the process for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Apple suggests starting with the medium size ear tip. If you can’t achieve a good seal, switch to the larger tip. If the ear tip feels too large, switch to a smaller tip.

Apple designed new foam-infused silicone ear tips for the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌, which it says are softer and less stiff than the AirPods Pro 2 ear tips. ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ ear tips come in five sizes, including XXS, XS, S, M, and L. XXS is new for this generation.

For heart rate sensing, the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ need skin contact. Apple warns that the best ear tip size for heart rate sensor accuracy could differ from the best size for acoustic seal. The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ should be positioned toward your face at a 45-degree angle, with the heart rate sensor resting against the ear.

If heart rate recordings seem inconsistent, Apple recommends trying a different ear tip size.

The Acoustic Seal Test can be initiated by connecting the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ to an iPhone with iOS 26 or an iPad with iPadOS 26, going to the AirPods Settings, and selecting the Acoustic Seal Test option.

The ‌AirPods Pro 3‌ will launch this Friday.

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Here’s When iOS 26 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: Out Now!]

Update 10:06 a.m.: iOS 26 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Today’s the day! Apple is about to release iOS 26, which will deliver the biggest redesign since iOS 7 and bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It’s Apple’s biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at last week’s iPhone event that…

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in ‘Coming Months’

Apple’s annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the…

Apple Says Installing iOS 26 Might Impact Battery Life

In the iOS 26 release notes, Apple is warning iPhone users that installing the new software might have a temporary impact on battery life, which is normal. A new support document explains that major iOS updates require background setup like indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps. Further, Apple says that new features could require more resources,…

iPhone 17 Models Launch on September 19 With These New Features

Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 lineup and ultra-thin iPhone Air in stores on Friday, September 19, and the company has already shown off the new devices at its fall event, which ran with the the tagline “Awe dropping.” The iPhone 17 series brings a host of new features and enhancements. Here’s a rundown of the biggest upgrades and changes: iPhone 17 Display Changes The iPhone…

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware. With Apple’s new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and…

Apple’s New N1 Chip in iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Has a Wi-Fi 7 Limitation

The latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air models are equipped with Apple’s all-new N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. However, the chip has a Wi-Fi 7 bandwidth limitation. According to FCC documents reviewed by MacRumors, the N1 chip in all of the new iPhone models supports up to 160 MHz channel bandwidth for Wi-Fi 7, short of the…

iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Boxes Revealed

T-Mobile President Jon Freier today shared real-world photos of Apple’s boxes for the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 models, which launch on Friday. Image Credit: Jon Freier Apple has typically included iPhone box renders in its product environmental reports, but it did not do so for the latest models. However, Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program page does offer some images of the boxes, …

6 AirPods Changes Coming in iOS 26

Posted on by faz_business


iOS 26 adds new functionality to the AirPods, which will be available this fall when Apple releases ‌iOS 26‌ and new AirPods firmware to the public.

6 AirPods Changes Coming in iOS 26 Feature

Camera Remote

The AirPods can be used as a camera remote for the Camera app or third-party iOS camera apps. Just connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and then press and hold on the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording.

When you’re finished, a second press and hold gesture will stop the recording. If you have an Apple Watch, you can already control your ‌iPhone‌ remotely from your wrist, but the AirPods have the potential to be even quicker since it’s a physical gesture rather than a series of steps that include opening an Apple Watch app.

Studio-Quality Recording

The AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 support recording studio-quality audio for interviews, podcasts, songs, videos, and more. Apple says that the feature can be used to record high-quality vocals while on the go, with background sounds filtered out thanks to Voice Isolation.

You can record higher-quality audio when making videos or using your devices to do things like record a podcast.

Improved Audio Quality

The H2 chip in the ‌AirPods 4‌ and ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 brings more natural vocal texture and clarity to ‌iPhone‌ calls, FaceTime calls, and all CallKit-enabled apps like Zoom.

Studio-quality audio recording and improved call quality are available across ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac, and support the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, third-party camera apps, and video conferencing apps.

Beta Updates

With ‌iOS 26‌, Apple is adding an option to more easily install beta updates on AirPods. There’s a new update interface when you connect your AirPods to your ‌iPhone‌ and tap into them in the Settings app.

Pause Audio for Sleep

If you’re listening to music, a podcast, or a book while you’re in bed and you’re wearing AirPods, the AirPods will pause your audio when you fall asleep if you toggle on the new “Pause Media When Falling Asleep” option.

You’ll find it in the AirPods settings after connecting your AirPods to your ‌iPhone‌, but you’ll need the new AirPods firmware and ‌iOS 26‌. In addition to saving your spot in an audiobook or podcast, it will also preserve battery by turning your AirPods off so they’re not running all night.

This feature also works with Beats earbuds.

Keep Audio in Headphones

‌iOS 26‌ addresses an irritating issue that happens with CarPlay and AirPods. There’s a new “Keep Audio in Headphones” option that prevents audio from switching to car speakers or Bluetooth speakers when you’re listening to music through the AirPods.

With the option on, your music will continue playing in your AirPods when you get in the car. You can turn it on in ‌iOS 26‌ by going to Settings > General > AirPlay and Continuity.

Read More

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished AirPods Pro 2 With USB-C Case in U.S.

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Apple today began selling refurbished second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case on its online store in the U.S. for $209, compared to $249 brand new.

airpods pro 2 gradient
Apple updated the AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case in September 2023. Other changes at the time included improved IP54-rated dust resistance for both the earbuds and the case, and lossless audio with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

Apple says all of its refurbished products undergo “full functionality testing” and are “put through a thorough cleaning process and inspection.”

Keep in mind that Amazon is currently selling brand new second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case for $189.99 in the U.S., which is a much better deal than Apple’s refurbished store is offering for the earbuds.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon.

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RIP, Apple ID

The “Apple ID” era is officially over. The transition from “Apple ID” to “Apple Account” went from a rumor to an official announcement to something that has now been fully completed. As of this week, the account.apple.com website is fully updated with Apple Account branding. “Apple ID is now Apple Account,” the page says. “You can still sign in with the same email address or phone…

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iOS 18 Available Now With These 8 New Features For Your iPhone

Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 was finally widely released to the public on Monday, September 16. The update is available in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and Apple shared a complete list of new features and changes last week. Note that Apple…

Apple Just Broke a Tradition It Held for 17 Years

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iPhone 16 Battery Capacities Revealed

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Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Firmware

Wednesday September 18, 2024 11:34 am PDT by

Apple today released a new firmware update for all AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 models. The AirPods Pro 2 firmware has a build number of 7A302, up from 7A294, and the AirPods 4 firmware has a build number of 7A304. There is no word yet on what’s included in the firmware, but it comes just a week after Apple last updated the AirPods Pro 2 firmware to add iOS 18 features like support for head…

iPhone 17 Pro No Longer Expected to Feature Under-Display Face ID [Updated]

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Apple Releases New AirPods Pro 2 Beta Firmware With Support for iOS 18 Features

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Apple today released a second beta firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, including both the Lightning and USB-C versions. The updated firmware has a build number 7A5244b and it is available to developers at the current time. This is the second firmware update that Apple has released since announcing new ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 features in June.

AirPods Pro Beta Firmware
There are several new features that are coming to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 as part of iOS 18, and these features are included in the firmware update.

With head gestures, users can control Siri on the ‌AirPods Pro‌ with a shake or a nod of the head. If you get a phone call, for example, you can shake your head no if you don’t want to answer it, or nod to accept the call. ‌Siri‌ interactions can be used for responding to incoming messages, calls, and notifications.

Apple is adding Voice Isolation to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ to cut down on loud background sounds to make you easier to hear, and there is a new Personalized Spatial Audio feature specific to gaming. Game developers will be able to incorporate spatial audio into their games for a more immersive audio experience.

The new firmware requires a device running ‌iOS 18‌ to install, and it won’t be available to the public until this fall.

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