Apple AirPods complete guide: Hidden tricks and tips to get started

The 21st century is the hub of technology. Without any doubt, we live in the most advanced phase of this planet that has ever existed. We are surrounded by technologies and gadgets that our predecessors could only imagine. These devices can be of many purposes. From something that can entertain us through our day to something that can manage a whole company. These devices don’t appear magically and there are numerous brands responsible for their introduction. One such brand is Apple. Known for its famous iPhones, Apple has also brought various other smart devices. We are going to be talking about one of those gadgets, the Apple AirPods.

We have been using earphones all our lives probably. They are an easy tool that we can just plug in and enjoy our music or other media anytime anywhere. With time, they faced change and development like many other conventional devices. We were introduced to wireless earphones that work on Bluetooth. They ran on a battery and we got rid of the tangible, messy wires. 

Apple’s AirPods are arguably the most popular wireless earbuds today. They might not be the originators but are consistently on the top of the list. Here is a little guide to everything you need to know about them. 

Timeline Of AirPods.

1st Generation

The very first AirPods were announced in September of 2016 and were released later in December that year. The earbuds worked over Bluetooth and specifically the 4.2 version of it. Inside the buds, resided Apple’s own W1 SoC that powered them. They were discontinued in 2019 with the arrival of the second generation on the horizon.

2nd Generation 

The second generation of AirPods was announced in March of 2019. They inherited the same design from the previous edition but the features were updated. One of the updates being the inclusion of an H1 processor. The processor brought in the support for hands-free connectivity to Siri and a Bluetooth 5 connection. 

AirPods Pro

AirPods Pro were announced in 2019, months later the release of the second-gen AirPods. These were high-end earbuds that costed more than the earlier versions. They had the same H1 chip as seen in AirPods 2 but added many features that were missing there. It included active noise cancellation, IPX4 water resistance, and an automated frequency profile setting.

How To Use AirPods?

Using AirPods is easy and similar to how other Bluetooth earphones work. In fact, the process is even simpler and rather automatic with AirPods. First, you need to pair them with your iPhone. To do so, you just have to place them together and then open the charging case. Once paired, the buds will automatically connect with all the devices that share the same Apple ID. Whichever Apple device you want them to connect to, all you need is to have their Bluetooth turned on. The Airpods will automatically connect to it as soon as they are taken out of their box. 

Speaking of the box, it serves more than just being a container. The box is its charger and the AirPods can be placed inside to keep charging. The charging box itself can be charged with a USB-C or a Lightning Cable. The case can be fully charged in an hour and the pods in around 20 minutes.  

How To Use Airpods With Non-Android Devices?

A lot of people think AirPods only work with Apple devices which is not true. They are just like any other Bluetooth earphones that can connect with any device that supports Bluetooth connection. The only difference in using Airpods on non-Apple devices is the inability to use Siri. 

To connect to such a device, you first need to set it into pairing mode. There is a button for that on the back of the charging case. The automatic connectivity with your Apple device will be disabled for a while and you can use the pods wherever else you want.

Tips & Tricks

Customisation

You can completely customise how your Airpods work through the connected device. That can be done by navigating to Bluetooth settings and then clicking on the “I” icon. You can remap controls, disable ear detection, change their names, etc. and what’s better than buying Airpods 1 and 2 cases to add and an extra charm to your product. 

Pause & Stop

Pausing and stopping playback on the buds is easy. The media automatically pauses when you take one pod out and resumes when it is plugged back in. To stop the playback completely, you have to take both the pods out.

Use Siri For Control

Siri can be used in both generations of Airpods. But in Airpods 2, you can simply wake it up by saying ” Hey Siri “. In the first generation, you need to double-tap.

Once awake, you can use Siri for controls like changing volume, pausing, resuming, skipping, picking calls, etc.

Live Listen 

Live listen is an amazing feature of Airpods where you can use one Airpod as a mic and the other one as a speaker. It makes them work as a hearing aid. You can ask a person within the range to speak through one pod so that you can clearly listen to everything through the other.

Find Lost AirPods

Like the iPhone, you can find your lost Airpods through iCloud or the Find My iPhone feature. The only thing you need is the Apple ID with which the pods are connected. There is a separate option to find Airpods in both settings.

Announce Calls

With Airpods, you don’t have to check your iPhone to see what number is calling you. This feature can be turned on from the Phone section of your iPhone settings.

Cleaning

If you don’t already know it, Airpods should never be cleaned with water. Sharp objects shouldn’t be used to clean the speaker or mic mesh either. Instead, cotton swabs or linen cloth pieces should be taken help of, for cleaning purposes. 

Apple has certainly solidified its name as one of the anchors of innovative technology. Their created gadgets, chipsets, camera lenses, everything reeks of quality. The AirPods are no exception. While they are indeed more expensive than their alternatives, their quality and value are undeniable. Especially for an Apple fan, they are something that you can not miss. With that being said, this was a full walkthrough of everything related to the AirPods along with some tips & tricks that every user needs to know.