Apple is allegedly making AirPods update process easier — but there’s a catch

Apple is allegedly making AirPods update process easier — but in that location'due south a take hold of

The AirPods Pro wireless earbuds laid up against red backdrop

(Epitome credit: Brian Coule/Tom's Guide)

I of the few bugbears we have about Apple tree's AirPods family is the way in which the fairly frequent firmware updates are delivered.

Presumably to keep things intuitive, firmware is updated over the air and invisibly, simply the flip side of this is that those nifty to try the latest features have no mode of getting to the front of the queue. They simply accept to await until the AirPods automatically update, with no indication that updates are available or currently beingness downloaded and installed.

In other words, if you've read about a new update being pushed out that you really want to endeavor, you lot just have to pop your AirPods in their charging case, put it on to charge and hope they get updated.

But according to the leaker @StellaFudge on Twitter, that won't be the case for long, with Apple "launching an AirPods Firmware Updater tool."

Apple is launching an AirPods Firmware Updater tool! After all these years of waiting its coming!There'south a catch though.It'due south only bachelor to Apple Technicians. It's too only intended for people who use AirPods with non-Apple stuff, or AirPods that got mismatched firmware.Dec x, 2021

As you can see, notwithstanding, in that location'south a adequately big grab. According to the leaker, unless you work for Apple, you won't exist able to use it yourself, equally it's intended for technicians diagnosing and fixing problems, not regular owners who just desire the latest features immediately. "It'south as well just intended for people who employ AirPods with not-Apple stuff, or AirPods that got mismatched firmware," the tipster continued.

In a afterward tweet, @StellaFudge clarified that the alleged Firmware Updater tool is only compatible with AirPods Pro.

Update:Only for AirPods Pro. Other pods in shambles https://t.co/pospMXyWs3December 11, 2021

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It's not really articulate how this would work, as only AirPods Max have a diagnostic port for wired connections. The Apple Watch ditched this with the near recent version, just replaced it with a 60.5GHz wireless module for diagnostics instead.

Nonetheless, if this is true and Apple tree does take a organisation in identify for wirelessly forcing firmware updates rather than playing the waiting game, then hopefully information technology's something that can eventually be given a convenient reskin and pushed out to iPhones for consumers to practise themselves without official intervention.

In the meantime, y'all'll just have to follow the general instructions of how to update your AirPods and hope for the best. And if you're in the market place for the AirPods or other headphones cheque out our best wireless earbuds listing.

Freelance correspondent Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, roofing phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the spider web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you lot'll probably notice him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.