So, my AirPods, specifically the left one, stopped playing audio. Controls (double tap and ear detection) still worked, just no sound. Took them back to shop (not Apple), warranty refund, no problem.
So, do I get a new pair now, so I don’t have to suffer through using the ghastly wired EarPods.
Or do I wait for the anticipated AirPods 2, that are rumoured to appear ‘any time now’?!
Reports have just come out that AirPower is now starting production. Then, does that mean a release soon, possibly along with new AirPods. Or will that be so far down the road that my wired EarPods are likely to have broken at the base by the time they appear?! Personally I can’t see AirPower being ready before March… can I wait between two months and a year?
I would have replaced them while I was at the shop. For me, the risk of missing out on something cool in version 2 is outweighed by the guaranteed annoyance of going without for a few months, and possibly for several months or a year.
It’s tough, but I have a small advice. Wait for a couple of days without talking about the subject, if you were able to survive fine; then you are not as a heavy user as others. Otherwise, run to Apple store
On a similar note, my left AirPod has been losing battery much faster than my right one. It’s now to the point that it can barely make it through an hour jog (I have tried resetting them). I really don’t want to pay $60 for a new left AirPod when version 2 must be coming sometime soon. Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Has anyone tried to get Apple to replace one problematic AirPod for free (2 years old, out of warranty).
If Apple announces new AirPods at some point between now and the end of March will you wish you had waited? If it were me, I’d wait and use my wired set for 2-3 months. I love my AirPods but I suspect the chance of an upcoming event or just an online launch of new stuff sees likely. Seems likely that that AirPods will be in that mix.
This is sensible. I have waited, used an Aukey Bluetooth receiver with standard headphones, used the wired lightning headphones.
The lightning headphones are ok, but seem to wiggle loose far quicker, so I’m forever pushing them back into my ears. Plus, managing the cable is frustrating. Feeding it under clothing stops it from getting in the way, but you have to then hold your phone at your waist to use it while listening, which can be uncomfortable and awkward. Leaving the headphones over clothes and jackets means that they get in the way of arms, get snagged on things.
The headphones I used with the Aukey bluetooth receiver kept coming loose from the phone socket, so I ended up walking along holding them in the socket! Not a winner! I’ll be putting this back in my car for the aux socket!
All in all, I think I’m going to buy another set of AirPods! I guess it’s a case of not realising how often you use something until it is gone!
tdlr: Not having AirPods is annoying enough to re-buy instead of wait.
This “left one going down” thing is familiar to me. And sometimes the left one doesn’t even need to be in for the watch to think it’s connected to the “pair”.
One thing I would do is clean the airpods and inside the case. That seems to work for me. In other words you might not have to give up on these Airpods just yet.
I’ve seen a couple of less-expensive AirPod alternatives get good reviews lately. Xiomi Airdots ($30) and Anker somethingorother for $80.
Xiomi review came up in my Google News feed this morning. It had the usual clickbait about how stupid Apple fanboys are, but the reviewer seemed to think the Airdots are pretty good. And for $30 maybe you can afford to buy them on spec.
For me, the risk of missing out on something cool in version 2 is outweighed by the guaranteed annoyance of going without for a few months, and possibly for several months or a year.