Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Plett

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 16, 2016
315
247
If you are a person who cares for their batteries to extend the life, how do you manage your AirPods battery and Case?
 

Allograft

macrumors 6502
Oct 19, 2014
335
238
Your query is near to mine. I was wondering with the newer Apple programming to keep iPhone batteries from being in a prolonged state of being 100% charge, should one take out the AirPods overnight and put them in the case in the morning?
 

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,700
10,567
Austin, TX
Lithium ion battery technology is such you really don't have to worry about it one way or another. Their aren't really any antics which will noticeably prolong your AirPods Pro battery life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: steve217

Allograft

macrumors 6502
Oct 19, 2014
335
238
So, why did Apple institute the whole slowing charging at 80% and learning charging habits to keep iPhone battery from overcharging?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Plett

Allograft

macrumors 6502
Oct 19, 2014
335
238
You don't charge your AirPods daily? Sometimes I talk so much on them, I have to charge each bud three times. I let one charge while I talk on the other one on those days
 

Plett

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 16, 2016
315
247
Because the iPhone is a complete different device which is charge every single day and has to last longer.
I really don't understand what you are saying here, are they different battery technologies? Mine are used as a companion to my watch and phone. The point above about the 80% thing to extend life on the phone battery certainly seems prescient here, they didn't acknowledge any battery issues (throttling) until they were caught.

At the end of the day, I don't know what I could do since there isn't really an easy way to manage it. I have simply observed a good deal of discussion around the phones, MacBooks, watches and every other Apple device with a battery seems odd that we don't see much about the AirPods batteries, they are after all heavily used by most.
 

Ralfi

macrumors 601
Dec 22, 2016
4,374
3,101
Australia
Not sure if this helps, but AirPods need to be at 100% & ready to go more often than the phone - people don’t want to be charging them constantly during their day, so they quick charge to their fullest so they last longer, short-term.

I mean would people rather they implement a trickle charge from 80% onwards, if it meant more charging during the day & a longer overall battery life, or as is - where (from 100%) you get your 4.5+ hours before needing to charge, but after 18 months, you’ll notice diminishing battery life?

My history with OG AirPods, where our laws allow us to exchange Airpods for free within 2 years if battery has significantly dropped means I’ll take the latter scenario.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Plett

andyw715

macrumors 68000
Oct 25, 2013
1,844
1,404
Well every night I put them in the case and put the case on the wireless charging pad.
 

Plett

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 16, 2016
315
247
Well every night I put them in the case and put the case on the wireless charging pad.
That is precisely my behavior. I had the originals that I bought at launch (obviously plugged in the case then) by the time the IIs were launched I was down to about 1/2 battery life, which whatever, that's fine, just curious if others had tricks that made them last longer.

I am quite sure I will just replace them in another year or so anyway.
 

Allograft

macrumors 6502
Oct 19, 2014
335
238
I'd like my 100% charge to last longer and if the keeping charged at 100% for an extended time decreases iPhone battery life, it seems like the same would hold true to AirPods...so I suppose that in 8 more years, the battery case will learn the user's behavior and hold AirPods at 80% until the right time for topping off...until then, apparently they are different batteries...until they aren't.
 

eyeshinesk

macrumors newbie
Apr 30, 2008
1
0
I have been thinking about this (probably too much) over the last couple months since I got my Pros. There is a solution that I just figured out today. It’s not anywhere near ideal or necessarily practical for most people, but you can turn off your AirPods while in the case and stop them from charging further.

To achieve this, you have to factory reset the AirPods/case. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds. The light on the front will blink white for a bit, then shine amber for a couple seconds, then switch back to blinking white. Once the amber switches to white, you’re done. Your AirPods are now turned off and will not charge again (or experience noticeable battery drain) until you again pair them to a phone/watch/whatever.

It’s cumbersome for sure, but I’m gonna try doing this every night (and especially on the weekends, when I don’t use them nearly as often) for a bit and see how I feel. I believe this is the only option, and I think it could probably at least double the shelf life of the AirPods. And of course it works best if you stop charging around 50-70% to minimize damage to the battery while off.

Of course, Apple could easily create an option to toggle the AirPods being able to charge/not charge while in the case. I mean, they won’t do that—but they could.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.