AirPods Pro and AirPods Max Get a Handy FindMy Update

Back at WWDC, Apple mentioned expanded FindMy integration was coming for AirPods in iOS 15. Now, Apple is delivering on that promise with a firmware replace that gives you more options when you lose monitor of your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.

The FindMy community works by leveraging Bluetooth on thousands and thousands of Apple units. So, if an Apple gadget have been to detect a lacking machine close by, it studies that location within the FindMy app. The firmware replace makes it in order that the AirPods Pro and Max can now be part of that community. However, since they lack the U1 chip, it’s gained’t be fairly as exact as what you get with AirTags.

Previously, you couldn’t do a lot in FindMy aside from see your AirPods’ final recognized location or play a sound. Helpful, however as anybody who’s misplaced an AirPod can let you know, it’s not excellent. Initially noticed by 9to5 Mac, the brand new firmware permits a function just like the Precision Finding that Apple launched with the AirTags—however not fairly. For starters, there’s no arrow pointing you in an actual location. Instead, it’s type of like a digital Marco Polo the place you possibly can visually see whether or not you’re close to or removed from the AirPods. (You can take a look at screenshots of what that appears like here.)

The replace additionally lets homeowners mark their AirPods Pro and Max as lacking through Lost Mode. That permits customers to go away a contact quantity and message, within the occasion another person recovers the machine. Another useful replace: You can now get notifications when you depart your AirPods behind.

Of course, to get these options, you might want to replace your AirPods’ firmware. The dangerous information is that updating AirPods generally is a ache as there’s no simple solution to do it. It simply… type of routinely occurs once they’re linked to your cellphone and charging. You can nevertheless test in case you have the most recent firmware. If you hop on over to Settings, scroll right down to Bluetooth units, after which faucet the blue data icon subsequent to the AirPods. Scroll right down to the About part and test the model quantity. If you’ve the brand new firmware, you need to see 4A400.

Unfortunately, these new options don’t work with common AirPods. Perhaps that’ll change with the rumored AirPods 3—each time they arrive.