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AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

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Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#91

Post by Joeri »

pessimizer wrote: post #88
CharlesW wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As I've said before, it's very highly likely they are not actually repairing the unit by replacing the battery -- IMO that's false advertising to make them look "green". I'm sure you're right about the first bit, and that calling it "battery replacement" is a sin of omission and/or over-simplification. As an engineer you're offended, but for average consumers, the result is what matters. It's a stretch to call it g…

> It's a stretch to call it greenwashing, though. It's not a stretch to call it greenwashing when a replacement is marketed as a repair, no matter what else they do. Especially since a full replacement for battery drain inevitably leads into their recycling process - if they think that their recycling process is even better than replacing the battery, why lie? > Apple pays recyclers for the manual labor required to r…

It all depends on what requires more energy: breaking apart the airpods to replace the battery, or recycling and delivering a new pair. If the factory line is efficient enough it may be greener to replace instead of repair.

Of course it can be argued that if apple had designed them for easy battery replacement repair would be so easy as to always be greener.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#92

Post by samatman »

wombat-man wrote: post #50
scarface74 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because a “different brand” don’t automatically pair to every device connected to my AppleID (7), don’t have an interface on every device to adjust settings, don’t show the battery percentages on every device individually for each side and the battery case and don’t automatically switch. BTW, AirPods “work everywhere” as standard Bluetooth headsets

Well OP is talking about how his airpods weren't working, yet they they're getting another pair which seems sorta odd. The battery percentage thing does seem appealing, idk I guess I just charge mine often enough it hasn't really been an issue. Auto switching does sound good though, maybe someday I'll try airpods.

It really isn't.

AirPods are a case where I broke my rule of thumb with Apple, not to buy in to a new product line until the fourth iteration. And sure enough, they've been a little flaky, my first-gen not-Pros developed a terrible crackle and had to be replaced.

But fixing flakiness with Apple stuff by buying a new one works more than you might think. They do actually iterate on reliability (not you macOS).

Man, finding them in the cushions might be worth the cash all by itself. The ones I have do the one-ear thing like one in ten (?) times, and I swear quietly and stick them back in the case. Reboot them a few times a month.

So, fine really, could be better. If they were a bit worse I'd run out and get the new ones.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#93

Post by themensch »

spaghettiToy wrote: post #85
themensch wrote: post #83

I've had this exact problem and I've had to replace one or both airpods not once, not twice, but thrice. But, to Apple's credit, they have handled it gracefully each time. The first time it did take a bit of convincing as there weren't many documented cases on the subject. Now, it's rote. The root cause, as I understand it, is that the microphones that act for transparency mode or for noise-cancelling mode can be blo…

>I've had to replace one or both airpods not once, not twice, but thrice. But, to Apple's credit, they have handled it gracefully each time. The first time it did take a bit of convincing as there weren't many documented cases on the subject. Wow that sounds awful. How did they "handle it gracefully"? You don't seem upset, but I got second hand customer service frustration reading this. The closest thing I had to thi…

An excellent question, let me elaborate.

- On the first instance I contacted apple via their customer support chat. It took about 30 minutes to get replacements shipped to me.

- On the second instance, the problem was well-established, so they just shipped me new ones.

- On the third instance, they asked me to go in to a local Apple Store, and that did take a bit longer.

In fact, I'm due for round 4 here soon. There's no stopping the dusty environment.

I'm pretty demanding of headphones - 2 pairs of jaybirds died horribly under the same circumstances and the company would only replace the first set. A cheap set of Aukey buds fared considerably better and they still have life left in them.

The tight integration of the airpods with my other apple devices and the perks, plus the overall sound quality and excellent noise cancellation around loud equipment more than make up for the hassle of a free replacement rigamarole every year. I've been pleased with them since I received them as a gift in December of 2019, and I'm absolutely not upset in the slightest that there have been problems. Fortune has smiled upon me with regard to my experiences with Apple products.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#95

Post by samatman »

mortenjorck wrote: post #52

My experience with Airpods Pro has been excellent for what I originally bought them for, listening to music. However, I later (after the warranty period, naturally) started trying to use them for calls, and noticed something I’m not sure is covered by this program: Occasional, random “blips” where there’s some kind of discontinuity in the sound for ~200ms, with a ~100ms offset between the left and right channels. It’…

I had that, offset maybe more like 50ms but that's just quibbling. Showed up in a firmware update, disappeared again a month later. Not often, but often enough that I started calling it skew. Disorienting!

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#96

Post by samatman »

eludwig wrote: post #24
chollida1 wrote: post #15

Can any other runners comment on the new airpods for durability. I've killed 3 pairs due to sweat from running seemingly shorting them out and then they never seem to recover. the sound is great but I can't really tell much a difference between them and the $50 pair I tend to buy from amazon. That could be due to my 40 year old ears though. They do connect really well and allow me to connect to both my phone and lapt…

Just anecdata, but I have been running with non-pro AirPods for years with no problems like one you describe. I tend to sweat a lot, so by the end of the run they are pretty wet. No shorting or other electrical issues. The only problem I've had was ear wax buildup (yeah, gross, I know) with the first/second AirPods generation (the ones with the long stem). I was able to use alcohol & hydrogen peroxide to clean them u…

I had to get somewhat elaborate to keep the long-stem AirPods clean, with the Pros, it's really just getting the goo off them and the case. They seem impervious.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#97

Post by samatman »

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #16

I had my air pods pro replaced under warranty about 2 weeks before my warranty expired. I was so relieved. It has been two months and the new ones are already experiencing major issues. One doesn’t charge sometimes, even if the case seems to indicate that it’s connected. I thought it was the case, but the same thing happens in another case. The weird shifting noise cancellation the first ones did where both ears canc…

I get the money argument better than the waste one. An AirPod is less embodied energy than one of those birthday cards with a built-in speaker that plays happy birthday. Is this really moving the needle? You could buy three pounds less of off-season fruit from another continent, if you really feel bad about it.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#98

Post by spaghettiToy »

themensch wrote: post #93
spaghettiToy wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I've had to replace one or both airpods not once, not twice, but thrice. But, to Apple's credit, they have handled it gracefully each time. The first time it did take a bit of convincing as there weren't many documented cases on the subject. Wow that sounds awful. How did they "handle it gracefully"? You don't seem upset, but I got second hand customer service frustration reading this. The closest thing I had to thi…

An excellent question, let me elaborate. - On the first instance I contacted apple via their customer support chat. It took about 30 minutes to get replacements shipped to me. - On the second instance, the problem was well-established, so they just shipped me new ones. - On the third instance, they asked me to go in to a local Apple Store, and that did take a bit longer. In fact, I'm due for round 4 here soon. There'…

I'm still fuming at your story. But I'm happy that you perceive this as a good experience.

I wish whatever tricks Apple used, they could implement at the Post Office and Car Dealerships. I don't even care if I have to undergo exploitive psychology, I just don't want to be miserable with things outside my control.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#99

Post by samatman »

Joeri wrote: post #90
s__s wrote: post #62

What happens when the battery no longer holds a charge? Are they able to replace them or do you have to toss them in the trash? I’ve been avoiding these because they seem like wasteful fast fashion. I imagine having to throw them out in ~2-3 years, where as my over ear Beyers will likely last the rest of my life.

At 5.3 g per airpod and 60 million pairs sold per year that is 636 metric ton of trashed airpods per year.

At one hour of enjoyment a day (low estimate) that's 21 billion, 9 hundred million hours of joy. Or roughly 34 million hours of fun per metric ton.

If one metric ton's worth of AirPod fun were to be had, ending right now, the fun would have started in 1858 BC.

I'd say it's worth it.

Re: AirPods Pro Service Program for Sound Issues

#100

Post by random42_ »

samatman wrote: post #92
wombat-man wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well OP is talking about how his airpods weren't working, yet they they're getting another pair which seems sorta odd. The battery percentage thing does seem appealing, idk I guess I just charge mine often enough it hasn't really been an issue. Auto switching does sound good though, maybe someday I'll try airpods.

It really isn't. AirPods are a case where I broke my rule of thumb with Apple, not to buy in to a new product line until the fourth iteration. And sure enough, they've been a little flaky, my first-gen not-Pros developed a terrible crackle and had to be replaced. But fixing flakiness with Apple stuff by buying a new one works more than you might think. They do actually iterate on reliability (not you macOS). Man, fin…

> they've been a little flaky, my first-gen not-Pros developed a terrible crackle and had to be replaced.

Can confirm. Here the 3 of us have 2nd generation AirPods. In one of them the mic is no longer working, on another one of the AirPods won’t connect 90% of the time, and the last one has a combination of these two issues. Another family member is on their second pair already.

AirPods are great, while they are working.

Edit: forgot to mention that 3 of those pairs were replaced while under warranty.

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