Airpods: These new features come with iOS 26

Apple is known to provide older hardware with fresh updates for several years. So new functions come to the devices. The latest example is fresh firmware for Airpods that the group wants to offer as part of iOS 26 in autumn: It contains a whole bundle of new features for new and existing buyers of Airpods Pro 2 and Airpods 4 (with and without ANC).

Improved sound and improved recording

For example, the sound should be “clearer and more natural tuning textures” for calls, facetime communication and apps such as zoom that Apple’s API Callkit use. There is also an improved microphone recording that promises “audio recordings in studio quality”, for example for interviews, podcasts, music or video setting. How good they are remains to be seen, apparently the group uses special AI algorithms. For both new functions iPhone, iPad and Mac, supported with the current operating system, i.e. iOS 26, iPados 26 and MacOS 26 (all from autumn).

Also new is a break function when sleeping: recognize the AirPods that the user no longer listens, the plugs automatically pause. In addition, there is also a remote release of the camera: with AirPods in the ear you can trigger photos or videos via a gesture on the plugs (press longer). This should also work for third-party apps. Recordings can also be carried out synchronously to music, for example for dance videos on Tiktok. There is now an audio handover for CarPlay: If you listen to music with Airpods outside, you will automatically switch to CarPlay when you get in if you want it. After all, you can also preserve audio in the AirPods, even if the iPhone connects to other devices such as speakers or CarPlay.

Finally toast update manually

Finally, Apple will fulfill a long-cherished wish of Airpods users who always want to have the latest firmware quickly: updates can be triggered manually for the first time,, for the first time reports macrumors. There are currently only various voodoo-like ways to force the update.

The new Airpods firmware will be released together with iOS 26 in autumn. Developers can already test a beta, whereby the devices with which the AirPods communicate must also be on a current bet. At the moment only developers are being cared for, from July one appears Public beta.