Apple Unveils Smarter AirPods with New OS Updates: Charging Notifications and More
Apple is gearing up to launch new operating systems this autumn, bringing a suite of enhancements to its popular AirPods. Among the headline features are “camera control,” which will allow AirPods to function as a remote shutter for the iPhone, and an “automatic sleep” mode that pauses music when the earbuds detect the user has fallen asleep.
Hidden Charging Management feature Discovered
However, as is often the case, early access users of the new system, specifically developers testing iOS 17 (note: the source mentions iOS 26, which is likely a typo and should be iOS 17), have uncovered additional capabilities Apple has yet to officially announce. One such revelation is a feature designed to manage AirPods charging, dubbed “AirPods Steering Features.”
This new functionality aims to prevent the AirPods charging case from running out of power unexpectedly. It offers two key benefits. Firstly, when an AirPods’ battery level becomes critically low, users will receive an alert on their iPhone, signaling that it’s “time to charge it.” Secondly, once the AirPods have fully recharged, a notification will appear on the iPhone indicating that charging is complete. These “shipping notifications” (likely meaning charging notifications) are expected to be enabled by default in iOS 17.
For users who prefer fewer alerts, even useful ones, these notifications can be disabled within the settings. Previously, checking the battery status of AirPods and their charging case required either wearing them or navigating to the iPhone’s Settings app. This new feature promises a more streamlined experience.
It remains unclear which specific AirPods models will support these new charging notifications. However, it is anticipated that older models, such as the second and third-generation AirPods, will be included. Alternatively, this feature might necessitate the Apple H2 chip, possibly making it exclusive to the second-generation AirPods Pro and AirPods 4.Apple is expected to release the new operating system in September, following the announcement of the new iPhone 17 series.
