AirPods 2 (and PowerBeats Pro) are so unreliable now!

[BulkSlash]

I’ve been meaning to start this thread for a while now, I’d hoped the latest iOS release might fix things but it’s still the same. I’ve got three recurring problems with my AirPods 2 and Powerbeats Pro:

1. After taking them out of their case and starting some music I very frequently find only one bud is working. I have to put the non-working one back in the case and wait for the light to blink, then I can take it out and it will start working. This can happen 2 or 3 times a day. It’s not that the battery is flat, it’s just one of the buds just doesn’t seem to notice that it should be connected.
2. The next problem is with the Auto Switching. If I take one of the buds out to pause the music they very often decide to connect to my other device that wasn’t even playing anything! I don’t know why they would decide to do this, it’s just so random and annoying. Even hitting play on the device I was using doesn’t always cause them to switch back, and even when it does, it takes ages. When iOS 14 first launched they would always switch instantly to whatever was playing.
3. The final thing I’m seeing a lot lately is a bud seemingly not making good contact in the charging case. It’s happening so often recently that I feel like it’s not a problem with debris or mis-alignment but maybe something related to the other two issues above. I often have to just lift and replace the bud a few times to get it charging.

I consider myself something of an AirPods super-fan as they’re pretty much jammed in my ears from dawn till dusk with only the need to charge them forcing me to stop using them. So it’s really disappointing to have them be so flakey now. When iOS 14 first released the auto-switching was genuinely magical but with each point release it seems to have become slower and more unreliable.

I’ve tried the usual stuff like factory resetting them and rebooting my iPhone and iPad but I still see the same issues on a daily basis. Is it just something specific for me or is anyone else having these problems?

 

[kiensoy]

Yeah, I suffer from the same problems in my Airpods 2 beside other issues. Your problem 1 is particularly annoying for me because often times I leave the case at home when I know I’ll be back quickly.

But for me the main issue I have is that the microphone on one side suddenly stopped working, so I went to settings and set the microphone to only work on the other side. Now that side stopped working as well. So I cannot control Siri or make phone calls with my AirPods. Also the volume on the left one is now slightly lower than the right one.

I should’ve bought Apple Care. I swear this is Apple’s most disposable gadget ever.

 

[BulkSlash]

I had that too, the right microphone on my 2nd gens stopped working the day after the warranty ran out and the support guy was adamant I had to buy a replacement. I ponied up the cash to replace it as I use them all the time for online meetings but I wasn’t happy about it. Interestingly, I’ve not really had any battery fade issues with them, whilst my first gens were really bad after just 6 months.

 

[7thson]

I have AirPods 2 and PBP like you. I’ve had more issues with connectivity with PBP than the AirPods. The PBP became so unreliable that I kept sending them back to Apple, who ended up replacing the earbuds. They’ve been pretty good since but I still have to make sure all is good before I walk away from the case as they will occasionally only connect on one side. Fixing a bad pairing necessitates putting them both back in the case, as you know. Fortunately the charging issue hasn’t shown up on the replacements. For fit and features the PWP are one of my favorite sets of earbuds but the frustration of unreliable connections has soured me on recommending them.
I don’t have anywhere near the amount of frustration with the AirPods. A seemingly unpaired AirPod can usually be resolved by pausing the audio and the playing. I wish I had some suggestions for you to resolve these issues you’re experiencing but it sounds like you’ve done what you can. It really takes you out of the joy that they bring with the convenience when you keep having to troubleshooting them.