Earlier in June of this year, Apple — at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) — announced the ability to detect Lost AirPods. This feature was supposed to come with iOS 15, but it didn’t roll out then. A report from 9to5Mac states that Apple has released a firmware update for airpods pro and AirPods, which will make it easier to find them with the Find My app.
How will the feature work?
Apple has a huge Find My network of devices and with the latest firmware updates, AirPods Pro and airpods max are a part of it. This means that these wireless headphones can continuously send Bluetooth beacon messages. If — and when — there are other devices in the area where the AirPods are lost, they can detect a signal and show it on Find My Network. The user will get an idea of the location of the lost AIrtags. Users will also get a visual indicator of the approximate location of the devices.
How to Get the New Firmware Update on AirPods
It’s been several years now but getting the new firmware update remains a task on AirPods. There is no set process where you can toggle something on the iPhone and get updates. You can try and just put the AirPods inside the case next to the iPhone and wait for the firmware update to land automatically. Generally, once the update arrives, AirPods users get it in a relatively short period of time.
Is the feature similar to AirTag?
Not necessarily. Airtags have a U1 chip inside that gives them a directional arrow feature that can point you to their exact location. The AirPods don’t have a U1 chip, so their UI is different and has a blue theme, while the AirTags have a green theme.
Note that the Find My feature is only compatible with AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
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