Did I buy Fake AirPods Pro?

[scottcampbell]

I "took a chance" on a $110 pair of AirPods Pro on Facebook Marketplace.
Not the local meet-up kind, but they were shipped to me and sold with Buyer Protection, so I can get my money back if need be. Otherwise I never would have bought them.

A lot of cheap listings on FB marketplace say that they are replicas or clones. This one claimed explicitly to be the real deal. But I was still skeptical.

Now they've arrived and I'm not sure.

Real?

• Original packaging. The sticker seals, wrap, paperwork, everything is genuine.
• Serial # checks out.
• iPad recognized them as AirPods Pro.
• Music sound quality is good.

Fake?

• When opening the case, it isn't 100% smooth. Something seems to catch on something briefly.
• Putting them into my ears, that startup sound is really low quality (compared to my Gen 1 AirPods).
• I can't get Active Noise Cancellation to work. I can change the setting back and forth to Transparency, but there is zero audible difference.
• They feel finicky with the different inputs like pausing/playing, happening at random sometimes.

Is there some kind of firmware update I need to perform before making a final call?

 

[btsvchris]

They sound very much like a fake. Fell for them as well and took me some time to figure it out.
The sound quality was good, unless they were really loud.
In the end I had the final confirmation that they are fake when they didn't update the firmware after days and when I put them on a qi charger, the LED stays on (The real AirPods Pro after 5 seconds the led goes off)

 

[KepsInscription]

Does the serial number show up under 'about'?
And are there ear tips on them? The case catches the top of the airpods if their are no ear tips on them.

 

[Ted Lasso]

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. I would say they’re fake.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Start a return asap.

 

[scottcampbell]

Thanks for the input, all. I tried them out one more time this morning and noticed that the sound actually stops as you gradually turn the volume down, but before the volume meter reaches the bottom.

I've started a claim with Facebook. I wanted to be sure, but no genuine Apple product should leave you doubting its authenticity at every turn.

 

[VermontsFinest]

I "took a chance" on a $110 pair of AirPods Pro on Facebook Marketplace.
Not the local meet-up kind, but they were shipped to me and sold with Buyer Protection, so I can get my money back if need be. Otherwise I never would have bought them.

A lot of cheap listings on FB marketplace say that they are replicas or clones. This one claimed explicitly to be the real deal. But I was still skeptical.

Now they've arrived and I'm not sure.

Real?

• Original packaging. The sticker seals, wrap, paperwork, everything is genuine.
• Serial # checks out.
• iPad recognized them as AirPods Pro.
• Music sound quality is good.

Fake?

• When opening the case, it isn't 100% smooth. Something seems to catch on something briefly.
• Putting them into my ears, that startup sound is really low quality (compared to my Gen 1 AirPods).
• I can't get Active Noise Cancellation to work. I can change the setting back and forth to Transparency, but there is zero audible difference.
• They feel finicky with the different inputs like pausing/playing, happening at random sometimes.

Is there some kind of firmware update I need to perform before making a final call?

Get your money back and fork over the cash for genuine ones (in my opinion). There are unfortunately too many fakes in the world to risk it.

 

[anshuvorty]

If the iPad recognized them as AirPods Pro, how can they be fake?

 

[jterp7]

How To Tell If AirPods Pro Are Fake (2023) - Legit Check By Ch

You can tell if AirPods Pro are fake if their serial number doesn't show a 'Valid Purchase Date' via Apple's coverage test.

legitcheck.app

i did this myself for one of those ebay deals early during covid

 

[scottcampbell]

If the iPad recognized them as AirPods Pro, how can they be fake?

Even the H1 has been faked to some extent.

 

[anshuvorty]

Even the H1 has been faked to some extent.

Interesting. I didn't know that. Thanks for the information.

 

[ILowry82]

iOS devices will recognize fakes as genuine, however the noise cancellation is a dead give away. In fakes, you can toggle it on and off but there's no difference.

 

[cinder]

I would love to see pics.

That is a pretty bonkers turnaround for fake AirPods Max - I suspect a loooot of leaked technical specs from the manufacturing facility were needed. Incredible that the fake was also released before the actual product.

Unless . . . this is a production copy during final tooling before things were all worked out and was yanked from the facility.

 

[scottcampbell]

I would love to see pics.

That is a pretty bonkers turnaround for fake AirPods Max - I suspect a loooot of leaked technical specs from the manufacturing facility were needed. Incredible that the fake was also released before the actual product.

Unless . . . this is a production copy during final tooling before things were all worked out and was yanked from the facility.

I purchased Pro, not Max.

 

[Qu1ckset]

I "took a chance" on a $110 pair of AirPods Pro on Facebook Marketplace.
Not the local meet-up kind, but they were shipped to me and sold with Buyer Protection, so I can get my money back if need be. Otherwise I never would have bought them.

A lot of cheap listings on FB marketplace say that they are replicas or clones. This one claimed explicitly to be the real deal. But I was still skeptical.

Now they've arrived and I'm not sure.

Real?

• Original packaging. The sticker seals, wrap, paperwork, everything is genuine.
• Serial # checks out.
• iPad recognized them as AirPods Pro.
• Music sound quality is good.

Fake?

• When opening the case, it isn't 100% smooth. Something seems to catch on something briefly.
• Putting them into my ears, that startup sound is really low quality (compared to my Gen 1 AirPods).
• I can't get Active Noise Cancellation to work. I can change the setting back and forth to Transparency, but there is zero audible difference.
• They feel finicky with the different inputs like pausing/playing, happening at random sometimes.

Is there some kind of firmware update I need to perform before making a final call?

what do you mean the serial number checks out ? did you cross check the serial on apples site?

 

[scottcampbell]

what do you mean the serial number checks out ? did you cross check the serial on apples site?

Yes, although it must have just been copied.

 

[freakomac]

I have experienced this, its a fake or 'first copy'. Serial number though genuine (most likely copied) doesnt show up in settings and the airpods dont show up in Find My as well. In my case the serial number said it was a returned/ replaced product.
But damn it looks very very identical, the stem is a wee bit longer and case ever so slightly bigger funnily also lighter than original. Very difficult to tell them apart just by looking, deep fake lol! Noise cancellation or the lack of it gave it away. Also the case has a weird blue light flash from inside when resetting. Its best to buy these directly from Apple.

 

[chanerz]

Fake 100%