AirPods case bad standby battery life

[Lihp8270]

I followed the advice here to try the reset, as my 2nd pair are also experience case battery drain. It is really quite irritating, as they cannot exchange them. The only way I can get an exchange set without waiting 6 weeks, is to refund them, wait for Apple to give me the cash back, and then try and buy more via fruit-surge, or instocknow. etc.

Unfortunately, I still have the case drain issue on my 2nd set of AirPods. I have a log running of my data, hopefully it's ok to post a link to it here? It saves me typing it all out again, and remaking tables etc.

https://www.reddit.com/r/airpods/comments/5lf2cv/airpods_case_battery_testing_my_mini_saga/?

It is really quite an annoying issue. But I have a Genius Bar appointment next week, hopefully they can get me a pair quicker than the retail staff, but it could be my 3rd set in less than 2 weeks.

 

[Eduardboon]

Left yesterday at 6PM, airpods at 100, case at 58 percent.
This morning at 12AM, case was at 57 percent, pods at 100. So great!

However; after checking 1 hour later the case was at 42. What? Somehow opening the case messed up the battery life.

Edit; after this post I already went down to 37.

Note; I have not used the pods at all this charge. from 100 to 37 in 18 hours of standby

 

[daffie]

Well I've decided to give up on the airpods (for now). Case battery standby is far too flaky for my tastes. Also I don't really need them as my Sennheiser Momentum 2 over-ears are much better anyway. Nice piece of tech though...hopefully Apple will improve on the airpods over time.

 

[flehman]

I had a moderate problem with battery drain from the case - it was losing 8-10% overnight. Tried resetting the AirPods and it worked. I left the buds in the case undisturbed for 2 nights in a row and only checked the battery status once each morning. First morning the case was at 99% (they were in the case for about 9 hours at that point) and second morning it was at 94% (i.e. 24 additional hours had passed). I am betting the roughly 2% differential between the 1% drain over 9 hours and the 5% drain over the next 24 hours is because I opened the case on the first morning to check the battery level - I am betting that opening the case does keep the buds and case awake for awhile and they do not go back to sleep right away.

 

[NauticalDan]

Alright, 48 hours from a full charge and no use, the case is at 5% and AirPods at 93%.

That actually is bad.

Took them off charger both at 100%.

Didn't touch them for 24-hours. They are at: AirPods 100%, Case 82%. Gonna see if I can get mine swapped out.

That's actually not that bad.

I think it's just the design that the AirPods use power in a standby mode, and the maximum standby you're gonna get from pods and case is 5 days. Basically, a 20% case drain every day. I've been logging it and even though I see large periods of time where the case drain appears not to happen very much, it always seems to average out to 20% per day over the entire charge cycle.

Thurs 1330 - AirPods 98 / case 100
Fri 0500 - AirPods 100 / case 97
Fri 0600 - AirPods 97 / case 97
(used for 30 min, music)
Fri 0630 - AirPods 89 / case 96
Fri 0800 - AirPods 100 / case 87
Fri 1200 - AirPods 100 / case 81
Fri 1600 - AirPods 100 / case 75
Sat 0700 - AirPods 100 / case 72
Sat 0930 - AirPods 100 / case 65
(used for 140 min music, 10 min talk)
Sat 1200 - AirPods 47 / case 64
Sat 1330 - AirPods 100 / case 44
Sat 1830 - AirPods 100 / case 38
Sun 0900 - AirPods 100 / case 34

 

[Lihp8270]

I think it's just the design that the AirPods use power in a standby mode, and the maximum standby you're gonna get from pods and case is 5 days. Basically, a 20% case drain every day. I've been logging it and even though I see large periods of time where the case drain appears not to happen very much, it always seems to average out to 20% per day over the entire charge cycle.

I think instead of looking at how many days the case lasts. It is better to look how much playback time you have been getting for the total charge cycle. This is what I'm looking at, as it is also how Apple are marketing these.

 

[profets]

That actually is bad.



That's actually not that bad.

I think it's just the design that the AirPods use power in a standby mode, and the maximum standby you're gonna get from pods and case is 5 days. Basically, a 20% case drain every day. I've been logging it and even though I see large periods of time where the case drain appears not to happen very much, it always seems to average out to 20% per day over the entire charge cycle.

Thurs 1330 - AirPods 98 / case 100
Fri 0500 - AirPods 100 / case 97
Fri 0600 - AirPods 97 / case 97
(used for 30 min, music)
Fri 0630 - AirPods 89 / case 96
Fri 0800 - AirPods 100 / case 87
Fri 1200 - AirPods 100 / case 81
Fri 1600 - AirPods 100 / case 75
Sat 0700 - AirPods 100 / case 72
Sat 0930 - AirPods 100 / case 65
(used for 140 min music, 10 min talk)
Sat 1200 - AirPods 47 / case 64
Sat 1330 - AirPods 100 / case 44
Sat 1830 - AirPods 100 / case 38
Sun 0900 - AirPods 100 / case 34

The AirPods must be using power for something while in the case. At this point I'm quite sure most must be experiencing it but likely aren't noticing as the AirPods themselves have good battery life when being used and are very quick to recharge.

Little while ago the case battery died (it's not responsive at all) and the AirPods are down to 78%. This is 52-53 hours since a full charge without use.

I've been logging a 2nd pair I picked up on Friday from the store as well. I've been using them casually since a full charge exactly 48 hours ago. Maybe 4-5 hours total of listening. Currently the case is at 5% and AirPods are at 79 and charging.
[doublepost=1483291433][/doublepost]

I think instead of looking at how many days the case lasts. It is better to look how much playback time you have been getting for the total charge cycle. This is what I'm looking at, as it is also how Apple are marketing these.

This is true. The playback is quite good. I used a pair this morning for a one hour run listening to music with the volume quite high, then spent half an hour cleaning some things outdoor while listening to a podcast and the battery level after that was 79% for the AirPods.

It's just strange that the Case/AirPods are depleting while not being used. It's true that Apple doesn't make any claims for standby battery life, but I find it troubling as essentially every other bluetooth audio device that most people have used do power off and can hold a charge while not in use for quite a while.

If this is by design, for some reason that the AirPods need to stay active and use battery the way they are while not in use, then we'll have to get use to having this as another device to top up once every few days.

 

[Eduardboon]

After now not using the airpods for 20 hours I was at 25 percent case charge. I used the airpods for an hour and charged them to 100 just now. case still at 25. what.

 

[Lihp8270]

If this is by design, for some reason that the AirPods need to stay active and use battery the way they are while not in use, then we'll have to get use to having this as another device to top up once every few days.

I'd be inclined to agree, but then if it's design. Surely it should affect all devices

 

[NauticalDan]

I think instead of looking at how many days the case lasts. It is better to look how much playback time you have been getting for the total charge cycle. This is what I'm looking at, as it is also how Apple are marketing these.

No disagreement from me there. I think Apple really mislead people with the battery life claims and I expected 24 hours of use or 11 hours talk time total. But like the iPhone, the battery life claim should have included a standby time rating (which I think is about 5 days max). I think they'll quietly clarify that later in the tech specs or support materials once they get tires of people returning or exchanging them.

Unfortunately, I still have the case drain issue on my 2nd set of AirPods. I have a log running of my data, hopefully it's ok to post a link to it here? It saves me typing it all out again, and remaking tables etc.

https://www.reddit.com/r/airpods/comments/5lf2cv/airpods_case_battery_testing_my_mini_saga/?

It is really quite an annoying issue. But I have a Genius Bar appointment next week, hopefully they can get me a pair quicker than the retail staff, but it could be my 3rd set in less than 2 weeks.

Thanks for sharing! Good detail. My opinion is it looks pretty normal, and both sets of AirPods you had were just fine. You need to start testing over longer periods of time to really judge it. You can get really good results or really bad results over just a single day which I think is just inaccurate limitations of batter meter. If you change them out for a third pair, let us know if any changes.

 

[profets]

I'd be inclined to agree, but then if it's design. Surely it should affect all devices

My guess at this point is that it does affect all AirPods in some form, along maybe with an inaccurate battery meter during early / first few days of use. And not necessarily an intentional design that causes battery depletion while not in use, but unintentionally as a result of some function that is running when they're in the case.


Even just looking again at both sets of AirPods I have:

AirPods 1:
-Full charge 56 hours ago (2 days, 6 hours)
-Not used at all
-Case battery died at 52-53 hours
-AirPods battery 76%

AirPods 2:
-Full charge 48 hours ago
-Used about 5 hours (mostly audio and 10 minute phone call)
-Case battery died at 48 hours
-AirPods battery at 85%

At this point not only does standby drain the battery for me, but I won't get close to the rated 24 hours of use. I'll be lucky to go 10 hours of use from the 2nd pair (5 hours of use so far, and maybe 5 hours of use from 85% charge and no case battery left).


The only ones that seemed to have been doing better were my wife's AirPods:
-Full charge 3+ days ago
-Case battery 75% early this morning
This morning she used them during a workout for 1 hour
-AirPods full, Case at 56%

 

[Lihp8270]

At this point not only does standby drain the battery for me, but I won't get close to the rated 24 hours of use. I'll be lucky to go 10 hours of use from the 2nd pair (5 hours of use so far, and maybe 5 hours of use from 85% charge and no case battery left).


The only ones that seemed to have been doing better were my wife's AirPods:
-Full charge 3+ days ago
-Case battery 75% early this morning
This morning she used them during a workout for 1 hour
-AirPods full, Case at 56%

What happens if the AirPods are mixed up with their charging cases? Since the case can't report it's battery level when you have the AirPods in your ear, I assume that the Case is dumb in the sense that it just communicates via the AirPods. With the case lid acting as a switch for standby.

I wonder what would happen if you put your AirPods in her case, and vice versa? And if it would affect the battery drain? If it works, it could isolate whether it is the AirPods pulling charge from the case, or the case that is at fault. As if her case starts to drain with your AirPods in, then that is the issue.

Have you also tried switch the airpods to see what happens if her AirPods are paired to your phone? The reason I ask this, is that during the first few days of my S1 Watch, it suffered rapid battery drain, and was fixed by doing a "Reset all settings" on the iPhone. I wonder if this would be a similar fix for the AirPods

 

[profets]

What happens if the AirPods are mixed up with their charging cases? Since the case can't report it's battery level when you have the AirPods in your ear, I assume that the Case is dumb in the sense that it just communicates via the AirPods. With the case lid acting as a switch for standby.

I wonder what would happen if you put your AirPods in her case, and vice versa? And if it would affect the battery drain? If it works, it could isolate whether it is the AirPods pulling charge from the case, or the case that is at fault. As if her case starts to drain with your AirPods in, then that is the issue.

Have you also tried switch the airpods to see what happens if her AirPods are paired to your phone? The reason I ask this, is that during the first few days of my S1 Watch, it suffered rapid battery drain, and was fixed by doing a "Reset all settings" on the iPhone. I wonder if this would be a similar fix for the AirPods

Some good thoughts there. I assumed the case has it's own connection as well but maybe that's not the case (no pun intended). Once the AirPods are out you do only get readings from the AirPods. But the case has the physical button to initiate pairing. Makes me further wonder what the connection is between the case and the pods beyond charging. Some sort of radio connection between them? Makes you realize how impressive all of the syncing is with the W1 when you think of it - pressing the button on the case helps pair 2 individual devices and all mostly transparent to the user.

Good suggestions. Will take time unfortunately to really test that out as a few hours or so won't be enough. Would be nice to have a few days to see how the behaviour is when mixing like that.

One difference I keep thinking back to is that my AirPods are paired to 7 devices. My wife's only to 3. Hopefully that shouldn't make a difference. Actually also interesting now that the case battery has died, the AirPods battery has barely moved. They're just sitting and the case isn't causing them to charge or to wake up. But when I put them on they connect and I see the battery level.

 

[Lihp8270]

But the case has the physical button to initiate pairing. Makes me further wonder what the connection is between the case and the pods beyond charging. Some sort of radio connection between them?

I think the connection to the case is similar to how the powerline networks work. They may be able to send data and power between the case and airpods using the same 2 connectors. It would certainly make sense.

What possibly happens is that you open the case, it powers on the AirPods, and initiates the bluetooth adapters. Then it communicates any data it needs to. Closing the lid, will power the airpods down, or put them into standby. I wonder if there's a bug that is causing the AirPods to remain powered, but not communicating. If this is the case, it should be possible to be a firmware fix.

But I think that will only be done by a genius bar.

 

[profets]

I think the connection to the case is similar to how the powerline networks work. They may be able to send data and power between the case and airpods using the same 2 connectors. It would certainly make sense.

What possibly happens is that you open the case, it powers on the AirPods, and initiates the bluetooth adapters. Then it communicates any data it needs to. Closing the lid, will power the airpods down, or put them into standby. I wonder if there's a bug that is causing the AirPods to remain powered, but not communicating. If this is the case, it should be possible to be a firmware fix.

But I think that will only be done by a genius bar.

Agreed.

Was just trying switching the cases around. The case seems to be dumb so to speak. I placed AirPods into a different case, and it showed up along with the AirPods for battery life. Definitely seems like it's the AirPods doing the work or staying on for whatever reason.

 

[Lihp8270]

Agreed.

Was just trying switching the cases around. The case seems to be dumb so to speak. I placed AirPods into a different case, and it showed up along with the AirPods for battery life. Definitely seems like it's the AirPods doing the work or staying on for whatever reason.

it will be interesting then to see if your airpods in her case. Drains the case battery. Or whether your case, with her airpods in loses the charge.

Then a case of switching the syncs around and seeing if it is linked to the paired devices or not.

Working in Engineering, I get kinda obsessive about fault finding. But it's still difficult to get 1 set here, never mind multiple for testing
[doublepost=1483308690][/doublepost]I finally hit 24 hours since full charge. The case is down to 59% with 1 hour and 12 minutes of playback time so far.

 

[profets]

it will be interesting then to see if your airpods in her case. Drains the case battery. Or whether your case, with her airpods in loses the charge.

Then a case of switching the syncs around and seeing if it is linked to the paired devices or not.

Working in Engineering, I get kinda obsessive about fault finding. But it's still difficult to get 1 set here, never mind multiple for testing
[doublepost=1483308690][/doublepost]I finally hit 24 hours since full charge. The case is down to 59% with 1 hour and 12 minutes of playback time so far.

Haha, I love it. I worked in IT and healthcare for years, so used to troubleshooting all the time.

We're out at an event for a few hours now. So while out I plugged in all 3 sets of AirPods to have a full charge for when we get back. Going to swap the case and see how the next 1-2 days are. Then will try to unpair and swapping next.

 

[zea mays]

This has been interesting to follow. I let my AirPods and case drain to almost zero (couldn't get the case to go below 5%). Last night I took the case off the charger and had R AirPod at 100% and L AirPod at 0% - case was 100%. When I woke this morning, both AirPods were at 100% and case was at 91%. I haven't used them at all today and the case remains at 91% and AirPods at 100% each. Here's hoping it stays that way!

 

[Lihp8270]

This has been interesting to follow. I let my AirPods and case drain to almost zero (couldn't get the case to go below 5%). Last night I took the case off the charger and had R AirPod at 100% and L AirPod at 0% - case was 100%. When I woke this morning, both AirPods were at 100% and case was at 91%. I haven't used them at all today and the case remains at 91% and AirPods at 100% each. Here's hoping it stays that way!

Interesting to hear. I am hearing conflicting "fixes" for this. From the resetting, to unpairing, and repairing, to multiple recharge cycles. I have tried the first 2, hoping that running them flat will fix the issue.

It does seem like a software fault, and maybe various ways "reboot" them, and they start working.

 

[Phone Junky]

I just use my AirPods and plug them in when they need charged. No timing how long they sit idle. No timing how long I used them. Just periodically check to see IF they need charged and plug them in when they do. They work really well this way.

 

[Lihp8270]

I just use my AirPods and plug them in when they need charged. No timing how long they sit idle. No timing how long I used them. Just periodically check to see IF they need charged and plug them in when they do. They work really well this way.

What if you were getting less than 50% of advertised life?

Or the fact that you can't go away for 2 days without needing to take a charger and find a power outlet. Even if you only want to use them for an hour each day?

 

[480951]

After reading of many AirPods owners having this issue, I monitored mine and it turns out they're fine (knock on wood). I fully charged everything up to 100% and checked it at 12 hours and then 24 hours. At 12 hours it had gone down 2%, at 24 it had gone down another 7% to 91%, which is more then I'd like but nowhere near as bad as what some here have had.

 

[Lihp8270]

After reading of many AirPods owners having this issue, I monitored mine and it turns out they're fine (knock on wood). I fully charged everything up to 100% and checked it at 12 hours and then 24 hours. At 12 hours it had gone down 2%, at 24 it had gone down another 7% to 91%, which is more then I'd like but nowhere near as bad as what some here have had.

I'd be more than happy with that. 2% is almost what I drain in an hour
[doublepost=1483319472][/doublepost]Ok, so I updated the table on the reddit thread for the last time for the night. I'm down to 33% battery life in 27 hours, with so far with only 1hour 45minutes playback. So far, this is looking like I will have around 7 hours playback maximum from the device.

Hopefully they will die tomorrow, then I can get a full charge back in, and see how they do on a second charge cycle

 

[miamialley]

I'm losing about 35%+ per 24 hour period from my case without any use of the AirPods. This is atrocious. They REALLY need an on/off switch to control charging. I will try a swap at a later date if this doesn't improve. I love them, except I need the case to hold a charge to keep them functional for use.

 

[8CoreWhore]

The case communicates with devices. That uses battery. I think the case and pods are pretty active so that they can connect quickly.