Airpods - new owners views, problems and questions

[fryrice]

Just want to comment and didn't want to read through 30 pages of comments.

I have been enjoying the Airpods, however 1 of the biggest problems I have is when I on a phone call with 2 earbuds in the connection drops.

I have performed all the "network reset" and "re-pairing" and it still happens (bluetooth connection disconnects).

Some people say it could caused by the apple watch. So I have not tried it by disconnecting the watch and use the airpods.

Btw I have a 6s.

 

[Ralfi]

Just had a workout where I received a call as I started.

Call ended up going for the whole workout (~1 hour), whilst I exercised. I had zero issues hearing the other person, with no dropouts at all. Person on other end said call quality was great, all whilst I worked out between roughly 20-24m from my phone.

These things keep finding new ways of impressing me.

 

[dotnet]

Call ended up going for the whole workout (~1 hour), whilst I exercised. I had zero issues hearing the other person, with no dropouts at all. Person on other end said call quality was great, all whilst I worked out between roughly 20-24m from my phone.

Did the person on the other end not wonder about the strange huffing and wheezing sounds?

 

[Ralfi]

Did the person on the other end not wonder about the strange huffing and wheezing sounds?

They weren't even aware I was working out until I asked if my breathing was noticeable about half way into the session! By then I was breathing more & they then noticed. I kept the breathing quieter than normal though (as well as my voice, so as not to put off others).

I joked that because their wife was expecting child next month, & that they'd recently gone through the midwife courses, that they should've been an expert on breathing & picked up on mine earlier.

 

[DGGoingUphill]

I am loving the AirPods and only have one minor issue: the right AirPod has a hiss when on a call and the call goes from silence to someone speaking. This is with just the one AirPod or both. It sounds like a noise suppression gate cycling open. No problems on the left and no issues for any other audio source. I've done the reset route, set the mics to left only (in case it was related to noise cancelling from the mic), restarted, etc., and nothing makes a difference. This is with either the iPhone 7 or 9.7" iPad Pro. I may take them in once replacements are more regularly in stock.

 

[sirix]

Finally caught mine in the act of pausing the music uncommanded. I was sitting at home with my coffee reading in Safari on my iPhone 6S right in front of me while listening to an album previously downloaded from Apple Music. All the sudden the music paused. No more headphone icon at the top of the iPhone screen, and I think I remember seeing the Bluetooth icon grayed out or pulsing.

[...]

I have to wonder if something specific about the iPhone 6S has a limitation with the radio chipset handling multiple devices (two AirPods, Apple Watch, multiple Tiles), plus LTE and WiFi. Add a little Handoff, and, well there's a lot going on, that's for sure, and might explain why the problems lessen when cellular is turned off, Apple Watch is unpaired, or only one AirPod is in use.... lightens the load on the radio. Just speculation.

Wiped phone clean, set up as a new phone, and now listening to Apple Music via AirPods. Not a single hiccup so far. Will slowly add things back.

This is my theory too. I have a 6S, and an Apple Watch, and I think the watch may be interfering or tripping up the 6S connection... Any chance you have an update? I've tried resetting and starting from scratch on both the watch and phone fronts, but it hasn't helped stop my dropouts

 

[Ad13]

This is my theory too. I have a 6S, and an Apple Watch, and I think the watch may be interfering or tripping up the 6S connection... Any chance you have an update? I've tried resetting and starting from scratch on both the watch and phone fronts, but it hasn't helped stop my dropouts

Same issue here - music being paused. Sometimes the headphone icon disappears, sometimes it doesn't. Bizarrely though, this never happens in the house on wifi, only outside using a mobile connection. Incidentally, iPhone 6s Plus & Apple Watch series 2 here too.

 

[tivoboy]

Thanks for your replies!


I still don't get how to turn up and down the volume! I need to open the Remote app on my Apple Watch?

I thought you were looking for volume controls listening to music, which working out, running or other = which works fine it just doesn't work on a call.

What I do for workouts without the phone is:

1. airpods and apple watch are connected and paired.
2. Music and playlist setup on apple watch
3. Launch exercise app and start exercise
4. Launch music app, select music ON WATCH
5. Select playlist and start playing
6. Return to workout app (using dock or apps springboard)
6a. At this point, NOW PLAYING should be in your dock - if it isn't already one of your dock apps. Select it now
7. double clicking the digital crown will switch BETWEEN THE LAST TWO USED APPS - NOW PLAYING AND WORKOUT
8. When the Now playing app is the front most app, scrolling the digital crown will turn volume up and down (and you can select FF/RW as expected
9. Double click digital crown to switch back to Workout App, monitor workout
10. Rinse, wash, repeat

 

[rstark18]

Has anyone run into this:
After inserting Airpods and getting confirmation tone. If I don't start music or podcast then all alerts (email, ring doorbell, etc.) are FULL VOLUME. After I start either music or podcast then alerts are the same volume as music/podcast.
This is really annoying me because I put them in every morning before taking the dog for a walk and don't normally start a podcast until I'm on my way. Well when I walk out the front door, my security cameras send me an alert as does my doorbell. It's killing my ears!!

 

[CharlesShaw]

If I don't start music or podcast then all alerts (email, ring doorbell, etc.) are FULL VOLUME. After I start either music or podcast then alerts are the same volume as music/podcast.

Here's something to try, if you haven't already got it set this way. In iPhone Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts section: turn off "Change with Buttons" and use the slider to select a desired volume level (I use my iPhone as my alarm clock and this ensures I can't silence it by mistake).

The volume level for Ringer and Alerts is independent from music, podcasts, etc. and should stay put unless you move that slider later.

 

[Teride]

I have had this happen a few times when listening to music on the watch. I double tap on AirPod to access Siri yet it pauses the music. I don't have double tap set to pause music. It's set for Siri. Then without changing anything they stop "pausing" and I can access Siri. Has anyone run into this issue?

 

[rstark18]

Here's something to try, if you haven't already got it set this way. In iPhone Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts section: turn off "Change with Buttons" and use the slider to select a desired volume level (I use my iPhone as my alarm clock and this ensures I can't silence it by mistake).

The volume level for Ringer and Alerts is independent from music, podcasts, etc. and should stay put unless you move that slider later.

I do have Change with Buttons off. The phone is supposed to recognize when an audio device is attached and ignore that setting. That's what it does with wired earpods (lightning & 3.5mm). The Airpods do this only after something starts playing.
A quick way to recreate this is put your Airpods in and send yourself an email. Then start some audio playing and send another email. Note the volume difference. If you pause the music alerts will be full volume again. Now do this with the supplied lightning earpods and the volume will be adjusted

 

[Teride]

Not sure how this will fix the intermittent Siri vs pause??

 

[CharlesShaw]

I do have Change with Buttons off. The phone is supposed to recognize when an audio device is attached and ignore that setting. That's what it does with wired earpods (lightning & 3.5mm). The Airpods do this only after something starts playing.
A quick way to recreate this is put your Airpods in and send yourself an email. Then start some audio playing and send another email. Note the volunteer difference.

Yes, I am able to recreate this behavior with AirPods but also with my Jabra BT headphones with or without my AirPods paired, so this is not exclusive to AirPods. I tend to have all alerts on silent (and use Watch for haptic alerts), so I won't be affected, but I'd be annoyed by this otherwise.

[EDIT] Since using AirPods which play a sound at connection, I'd forgotten just how loud the voice saying "connected" is on my other BT headphones, especially the cheap BT adapter I got for my Shures. I'm guessing this behavior is by design for those alerts?

Speaking of being annoyed. Unpaired the AirPods and paired with my previous BT headphones to try this out. After just a few weeks, I'd already forgotten how finicky things could be. I had to "help" the phone connect to the Jabra, and on one of the tests, the iPhone speaker was playing even though the Jabra said connected.

I'm going to kiss my AirPods after I re-pair them!

 

[friedmud]

I thought you were looking for volume controls listening to music, which working out, running or other = which works fine it just doesn't work on a call.

What I do for workouts without the phone is:

1. airpods and apple watch are connected and paired.
2. Music and playlist setup on apple watch
3. Launch exercise app and start exercise
4. Launch music app, select music ON WATCH
5. Select playlist and start playing
6. Return to workout app (using dock or apps springboard)
7. double clicking the digital crown will switch BETWEEN THE LAST TWO USED APPS - MUSIC AND WORKOUT
8. When the Music app is the front most app, scrolling the digital crown will turn volume up and down (and you can select FF/RW as expected
9. Double click digital crown to switch back to Workout App, monitor workout
10. Rinse, wash, repeat

Yeah - the only bummer is that they STILL haven't fixed the glitch that the "Now Playing" App can't be used this way (you can't jump back to it using a double tap on the crown).

That means that if you're using anything other than Apple Music it doesn't work this seamlessly.

What I do for Spotify is keep the Now Playing App and the Workout App right next to each other in the dock on my Watch so I can quickly switch back and forth using the dock. I also make Now Playing the _first_ App so I can easily just scroll the scroll wheel and end up on the first App.

I really wish they would fix that... but it's unlikely because it only affects controlling OTHER services other than Apple Music...

 

[tivoboy]

Yeah - the only bummer is that they STILL haven't fixed the glitch that the "Now Playing" App can't be used this way (you can't jump back to it using a double tap on the crown).

That means that if you're using anything other than Apple Music it doesn't work this seamlessly.

..

Technically not accurate. I do it all the time just as I described in the post. If you are using the workout and the now playing app a double tap just toggles back and forth between the two. They only have to be the last two apps opened and it will work for any workout type.

 

[friedmud]

Technically not accurate. I do it all the time just as I described in the post. If you are using the workout and the now playing app a double tap just toggles back and forth between the two. They only have to be the last two apps opened and it will work for any workout type.

No.

You are talking about the _Music_ App.

That is different from the "Now Playing Dock App" that you have to use if you don't use Apple Music. It's the one that you can enable in the Watch App on your phone in the "Dock" menu.

As I stated: The "Now Playing" App does NOT allow you to switch back to it using a double-tap on the crown.

 

[tivoboy]

No.

You are talking about the _Music_ App.

That is different from the "Now Playing Dock App" that you have to use if you don't use Apple Music. It's the one that you can enable in the Watch App on your phone in the "Dock" menu.

As I stated: The "Now Playing" App does NOT allow you to switch back to it using a double-tap on the crown.

yes, that is the one I am using.. the Now Playing App. I know I mentioned Music up above when I directed people to the music source and to select either iphone or watch for music source and playlist selection - if desired.

But trust me, it's the now playing app and the workout app that's its toggle thorough. Frankly, I don't even think the Music app HAS a volume control slider - does it?

I'll try and make a video later today.

 

[rstark18]

Yes, I am able to recreate this behavior with AirPods but also with my Jabra BT headphones with or without my AirPods paired, so this is not exclusive to AirPods. I tend to have all alerts on silent (and use Watch for haptic alerts), so I won't be affected, but I'd be annoyed by this otherwise.

[EDIT] Since using AirPods which play a sound at connection, I'd forgotten just how loud the voice saying "connected" is on my other BT headphones, especially the cheap BT adapter I got for my Shures. I'm guessing this behavior is by design for those alerts?

Speaking of being annoyed. Unpaired the AirPods and paired with my previous BT headphones to try this out. After just a few weeks, I'd already forgotten how finicky things could be. I had to "help" the phone connect to the Jabra, and on one of the tests, the iPhone speaker was playing even though the Jabra said connected.

I'm going to kiss my AirPods after I re-pair them!

So it looks like a problem with Bluetooth as both lightning and 3.5mm headphones don't do this.
Hope they get around to fixing this.

 

[Ralfi]

Just seen this ad.

Very clever use of the Airpods as notes.

 

[friedmud]

yes, that is the one I am using.. the Now Playing App. I know I mentioned Music up above when I directed people to the music source and to select either iphone or watch for music source and playlist selection - if desired.

But trust me, it's the now playing app and the workout app that's its toggle thorough. Frankly, I don't even think the Music app HAS a volume control slider - does it?

I'll try and make a video later today.

I'm interested: because it DEFINITELY doesn't work for me. I'm on a Series 0 BTW.

 

[dotnet]

I have had this happen a few times when listening to music on the watch. I double tap on AirPod to access Siri yet it pauses the music. I don't have double tap set to pause music. It's set for Siri. Then without changing anything they stop "pausing" and I can access Siri. Has anyone run into this issue?

Yes, I have. I think it's a bug, the question is, where?

The first and only time this happened so far the AirPods were connected to and playing music from the Mac. Double-tapping paused the music instead of invoking Siri on the Mac (like it used to). I'm using a Sierra Beta (16D25a) on the Mac. Sure enough, it fixed itself without me doing anything.

The Siri vs. Pause setting can be configured both in macOS and iOS, and can be set differently for the Mac and the iPhone. Therefore I'm guessing the AirPods simply send the double-tap event to their current Bluetooth host, and that the bug is in macOS and/or iOS.

 

[macvinc6]

Is is possible to use just one as headset? The other one i would like to use as a second headset one another iPhone.

 

[jk73]

Is is possible to use just one as headset? The other one i would like to use as a second headset one another iPhone.

Probably not, as AirPods are paired to devices via the case.

 

[macvinc6]

Maybe there is a workaround? If you pair the case just with one Airpod and than again with an other iPhone?