AirPods Pro: Rattlegate

[itsmilo]

Not the best experience with the replacement program here in Germany to be honest

1st I called and she said she has to talk to someone else and instead of putting me on hold, she hung up on me

2nd so I went on the support chat to explain everything all over and he would initiate a replacement or I could go to the Apple store. Decided to go to the Apple Store

3rd the lady from #1 calls back and is like unfortunately your AirPod Pro Are Not qualified. Especially hilarious since #2 said the opposite AND I mentioned the replacement program.

4th went to the Apple Store and it took FOREVER. He had to ask 2 other people and I even mentioned the replacement program and then he finally comes back with the replacement and is like we decided to replace them under your German customer protection law like „good thing you bought them at Apple and not at a 3rd party retailer, otherwise we wouldn’t have replaced them“ and I am like thank you but .... that replacement program?

very strange but at the end of the day I am happy I got them replaced either way

 

[baking soda]

Not the best experience with the replacement program here in Germany to be honest

1st I called and she said she has to talk to someone else and instead of putting me on hold, she hung up on me

2nd so I went on the support chat to explain everything all over and he would initiate a replacement or I could go to the Apple store. Decided to go to the Apple Store

3rd the lady from #1 calls back and is like unfortunately your AirPod Pro Are Not qualified. Especially hilarious since #2 said the opposite AND I mentioned the replacement program.

4th went to the Apple Store and it took FOREVER. He had to ask 2 other people and I even mentioned the replacement program and then he finally comes back with the replacement and is like we decided to replace them under your German customer protection law like „good thing you bought them at Apple and not at a 3rd party retailer, otherwise we wouldn’t have replaced them“ and I am like thank you but .... that replacement program?

very strange but at the end of the day I am happy I got them replaced either way

Unlucky. I just called for mine (Italy) and in 5 minutes I had my replacement set up. And the same happened for the first pair I had replaced last April. They should be here tomorrow.

 

[rawCpoppa]

Where I am from there are no Apple Stores. Just one Apple Authorized Reseller. Apple instructed me to drop mine off there for replacement. I did and have to wait possibly 10-14 working days for my replacements. I hope I get ones made in October 2020 or later.

 

[BigZ12]

Hi all Rattlegate comrads.
I just delivered my Airpods Pro to a Apple Authorized Reseller, and actually got my money back.
I want to buy new ones, but just if they are manufactured in Oct 2020. (Or wait a bit and preferably buy a Nov build?).
Can you check the manufacturing month on the box? I think I saw some wrote that on the Apple Communities forum, but I don't remember which thread.

 

[Elektrofone]

Is there a way to verify when the replacement AirPods were manufactured? The new ones I received had firmware 2D27 so not sure.

 

[mppn]

EDIT: included the quote for context (see next post)

 

[mppn]

Is there a way to verify when the replacement AirPods were manufactured? The new ones I received had firmware 2D27 so not sure.

The 5th char of the pod serial number should read G, H, J, K or L (for the 1st, 2nd 3rd of 4th week of october or the 1st week of november)

Source: https://beetstech.com/blog/decode-meaning-behind-apple-serial-number

 

[itsmilo]

Its only November 2nd it would be magic to be not from october

 

[BigZ12]

The 5th char of the pod serial number should read G, H, J, K or L (for the 1st, 2nd 3rd of 4th week of october or the 1st week of november)

Source: https://beetstech.com/blog/decode-meaning-behind-apple-serial-number

Eh, that is an old link, with Z as 2019... What letter is 2020?
Don't they put the manufacturer date/year on the box anymore, like this? (see pic)

 

[mppn]

Eh, that is an old link, with Z as 2019... What letter is 2020?
Don't they put the manufacturer date/year on the box anymore, like this? (see pic)
View attachment 977971

That's an old link, but it just starts again from the top, Z is 2019 2nd half, C is fisrt half of 2020, D is 2nd half of 2020 and so on.

Can confirm from my multiple airpods replacement and cases. the serials follow this pretty clearly

 

[itsmilo]

Unlucky. I just called for mine (Italy) and in 5 minutes I had my replacement set up. And the same happened for the first pair I had replaced last April. They should be here tomorrow.

They must be super strict in Germany or something. I am also in another German Mac forum and I am reading a lot of people being turned away due to their "serial number" not being part of the program. If that was the case, "before October 2020" seems misleading. In the past they would mention the effected serial number range with the replacement notification online, no?

 

[baking soda]

The 5th char of the pod serial number should read G, H, J, K or L (for the 1st, 2nd 3rd of 4th week of october or the 1st week of november)

Source: https://beetstech.com/blog/decode-meaning-behind-apple-serial-number

I just got my replacement buds (each in a separate box), the 5th character is "8" on one and "5" on the other.

Still A2084 and hardware version is still 1.0.0. I hope it's the revised version............

 

[Cmdr]

Bought them day 1, October 2019. Swapped them 3-4 times since. Last swap arrived today, specifically under the repair program. Before I broke the seal, I started a chat and called them to see if they could tell me if it’s the new revision before unnecessarily opening them up. They can not.

Decoded the serials myself. One is Week 1 October 2020 and therefore should be the new one, as the repair program states: BEFORE October 2020.

The other one is Week 4 September 2020. So very close. Depending how accurate their October 2020 time stamp is, could go either way.

I took them out, paired them. Still hardware version 1.0.0, shipping firmware was 2D27, updated within minutes to the newest (the spatial audio one).

The swap before wasn’t even 3 weeks ago, developed the usual ANC issues. Those were August And July 2020. I compared both under a microscope.

The July and August APPs had a flush inner vent with the white plastic surface. The ones I received today both seem to be every so slightly but cosistently recessed into the APP housing. IF it means something, then it’s probably to avoid direct vent contact with the skin of the inner ear.

It’s crazy how good the fresh pair sounds in contrast to one that was barely 14 days in use. The previous pair was cleaned properly, all according to Apple’s guidelines and very carefully as well.

I think we will know more in the coming days or weeks. Has anybody yet seen a hardware revision newer than 1.0.0?

I specifically asked Apple if the replacement pair would be the new, fixed version. They said yes, so well, let’s see. If not, it’s only a matter of time until another swap becomes necessary.

 

[chepeloni]

I'm curious to see if the Hardware version that is visible under settings will change.

do you mean SERIAL NUMBER? i was taking a close look of those details, and noticed the SN under (i) in the APP bluetooth settings is the one from the wireless charger. my guess: after we get the replacement units and do the set up, since we're keeping the wireless charger, that SN won't change.

 

[chepeloni]

Has anybody yet seen a hardware revision newer than 1.0.0?

where's is this exactly. i was confused by the SN.

 

[Cmdr]

where's is this exactly. i was confused by the SN.

Settings -> General -> Info, Scroll down with AirPods in your ears or open the AirPods charging case, a menu with the name of your AirPods will appear. Click that, it will show the hardware revision, firmware, model etc.

 

[mppn]

I just got my replacement buds (each in a separate box), the 5th character is "8" on one and "5" on the other.

Still A2084 and hardware version is still 1.0.0. I hope it's the revised version............

That would mean built on last week of august and first week of august respectively....

Did you swap them in regards to the service annoucement or for another reason/before the announcement.

As it is pretty cryptic to read SN, I'm pretty sure Apple would say October 2020 as general date but they may have started rolling out the fix earlier in order to have the correct stocks on or after October? That's just speculation

 

[mppn]

Settings -> General -> Info, Scroll down with AirPods in your ears or open the AirPods charging case, a menu with the name of your AirPods will appear. Click that, it will show the hardware revision, firmware, model etc.

And to get both pods SN, you go in Bluetooth menu, select the airpods 'i' (while connected) and tap on the SN in that view to cycle between case, L and R serial numbers

 

[chepeloni]

And to get both pods SN, you go in Bluetooth menu, select the airpods 'i' (while connected) and tap on the SN in that view to cycle between case, L and R serial numbers

didn't know that. interesting. thanks.

 

[sean000]

Has anyone tried to get replacements through Best Buy? My right APP has the crackling issue it also buzzes when I talk while ANC is on). Just wondering if Best Buy replaces them on the spot or if you have to wait for them to process and send back to Apple. If so, maybe it's faster to just go through Apple and ship direct?

 

[JeepGC]

I've had my APP for almost a year and don't notice this. Guess I got lucky.

 

[rawCpoppa]

I've had my APP for almost a year and don't notice this. Guess I got lucky.

Jinxed them.

 

[baking soda]

That would mean built on last week of august and first week of august respectively....

Did you swap them in regards to the service annoucement or for another reason/before the announcement.

As it is pretty cryptic to read SN, I'm pretty sure Apple would say October 2020 as general date but they may have started rolling out the fix earlier in order to have the correct stocks on or after October? That's just speculation

I called on the 2nd of November and I explained I needed a replacement under apple’s program.. and the lady on the phone knew about it and she set up the replacement. I hope these AirPods are revised.. I don’t want to go through the cycle again.

 

[Prabas]

Trying to get a replacement via mail but the payment link they send never works. I keep getting

Something went wrong.
We will have everything fixed and back to normal soon.

 

[tsanga]

The 5th char of the pod serial number should read G, H, J, K or L (for the 1st, 2nd 3rd of 4th week of october or the 1st week of november)

Source: https://beetstech.com/blog/decode-meaning-behind-apple-serial-number

When I went through this, the first week of October is week 40, which should be the week starting with H.

C: weeks 10 and 36
D: weeks 11 and 37
F: weeks 12 and 38
G: weeks 13 and 39
H: weeks 14 and 40 (September 28 - October 4, 2020)