Is it just me or are AirPods extremely buggy? Specifically the "automatic handing off thing"

[dontwalkhand]

God forbid I have my MacBook, iPhone, and iPad all within close distance, and astounding 7/10 times, it will actually route the audio from the device I tell it to! The iPhone is put away and the iPad is in a bag, yet I have the MacBook, the only thing open, I open my AirPods, lo and behold, it chooses to connect to the iPhone in my pocket instead! I go into the control center, and tell it to connect to the MacBook, and what happens? Absolutely nothing, it just refuses to connect at all instead.

Why do I have to go through this rigamarole every time I want to use my AirPods?

And now, Audio is only playing out of one side, despite both being in my ears, Until I disconnect, reconnect it multiple times. I take it into Apple, I bought a new pair even, and same issues with the same devices. Sigh.

 

[sunapple]

They have never been 100% reliable to me. I have been using my AirPods Pro for 3,5 years and there are some issues that have always been there. One AirPod not connecting, both connecting then disconnecting, caller id at 200% volume, and just general having to put them back in the case and taking them out again to connect.

But I am using these every single day multiple times, lots of times the do work as advertised. Just would have thought that with the custom chips, software tricks, etc, it would be more accurate still.

 

[npmacuser5]

Same here, sent both AirPods two and three back. Especially challenging if two family members with different Apple ID’s use the same device. An Apple Mac. The owner Apple ID of the Mac music will stop playing on their other devices (IOS) or start to play the same music as the Mac when the other Apple ID uses the Mac. So annoying. Apple not using Bluetooth as designed. Apple defines a machine as a group of devices applied to a single Apple ID. When Bluetooth was intended as machine specific. Thus, the problem. All other EarPods that do not have the Apple chip should work great. Even Beats that are Android and Apple compatible should do better. They use standard Bluetooth implementations.

 

[perezr10]

I’ve had pretty good luck with my AirPods Pro 2s.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I can't be the only one who turns off the automated handoff? I use my AirPods all day for work calls. Then I use my AirPods for calls on my phone if I get any. Then I use them for music / TV after work.

I find AirPods reliable but - the automated handoff is a big nope from me. I need to be on my work call and have them stay there if I pick up my phone to view a video my family sent me.

I don't have a problem with audio in one ear - very often - maybe once every 4-5 months? And putting back into case, putting back into ear fixes that. But I'm guessing having automatic handoff OFF on all my devices helps prevent that?

I am a HEAVY AirPods user since 1, 2, 3 and Pro 2s. Really really like them and use them all day long.

 

[Soondae]

Same here, sent both AirPods two and three back. Especially challenging if two family members with different Apple ID’s use the same device. An Apple Mac. The owner Apple ID of the Mac music will stop playing on their other devices (IOS) or start to play the same music as the Mac when the other Apple ID uses the Mac. So annoying. Apple not using Bluetooth as designed. Apple defines a machine as a group of devices applied to a single Apple ID. When Bluetooth was intended as machine specific. Thus, the problem. All other EarPods that do not have the Apple chip should work great. Even Beats that are Android and Apple compatible should do better. They use standard Bluetooth implementations.

Actually the newer Beats devices use the H1 and H2 chips also, they have all the same functions enabled as the AirPods. The only real difference is that Beats come with an APP to enable the functions with Android.

 

[npmacuser5]

Actually the newer Beats devices use the H1 and H2 chips also, they have all the same functions enabled as the AirPods. The only real difference is that Beats come with an APP to enable the functions with Android.

Reality, they do not implement the same functions. I have the PowerBeats Pro. Work per device.

 

[Soondae]

Reality, they do not implement the same functions. I have the PowerBeats Pro. Work per device.

The Powerbeats Pro are an older model (H1 chip), the Beats Fit Pro emulate all the functions of AirPods Pro (H2)

 

[Lowgun84]

With the 6A238h beta firmware, I have noticed this is much improved and seems to be faster and more reliable.

 

[dannyyankou]

It’s significantly improved on the new betas thankfully. They pointed that out as an improvement at WWDC, and I can confirm it’s a lot faster and more reliable.

 

[ghostface147]

I just find it weird that my AirPods Pro gen 2 still stay connected when in the case. I have to manually disconnect them to play content through the phone.

 

[Shhhh]

The handing off thing has gotten significantly better. It used to drive me nuts. For instance, my Air Pods used to constantly connect to my laptop ... while they were in the case ... closed. They've since fixed that issue.

 

[AL2TEACH]

the automated handoff is a big nope from me

For me also, I had to turn it off. They would be connected to the tv and if I opened the iPad they'd switch lol.

 

[Soondae]

Actually the newer Beats devices use the H1 and H2 chips also, they have all the same functions enabled as the AirPods. The only real difference is that Beats come with an APP to enable the functions with Android.

I must correct myself, did some research and found out both the Powerbeats Pro and Beats Fit Pro use the H1 chip, only the AP2 currently use the H2. Apologize if I caused confusion.

 

[stevemiller]

i'm about to lose my mind with how unreliable airpods are with my mac (m1 max). even if the mac is the only device they're connected to, if i take one out of my ear for any reason, it'll break the connection and no longer play on the laptop until i cycle bluetooth power. whats frustrating is when i put it back in my ear, the mac even shows a "airpods connected" notification - but still wont work until reset. this happens nonstop, to the point of i wonder why i even bought these things.