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    AirPods libreated from Apple's ecosystem

    (github.com)
    1424 points moonleay | 12 comments | 16 Nov 25 00:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.938s | source | bottom
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    moonleay ◴[16 Nov 25 00:02 UTC] No.45941605[source]▶
    A cool project, when you want to use AirPods outside of Apples ecosystem. Sadly, you have to use a rooted android device with a small patch due to a bug in the Android Bluetooth implementation. https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/371713238
    replies(6): >>45942063 #>>45942373 #>>45942451 #>>45943437 #>>45943943 #>>45944340 #
    jmgao ◴[16 Nov 25 03:12 UTC] No.45942451[source]▶
    It doesn't seem obvious to me that this is actually a bug in the Android implementation, it seems like this is due to AirPods violating the spec and requiring a special handshake before responding to standard requests. It doesn't seem reasonable to expect Android to work around a device that appears to be intentionally breaking the spec for vendor lock-in purposes: the possibility of them just OTAing an update that breaks in some other way means that you'd have to be entirely bug compatible with iOS's bluetooth implementation.
    replies(7): >>45942490 #>>45942736 #>>45942932 #>>45943032 #>>45943140 #>>45944246 #>>45944276 #
    a13n ◴[16 Nov 25 04:20 UTC] No.45942736[source]▶
    is there evidence it’s for vendor lock in purposes? airpods have a pretty stellar connection for bluetooth, wouldn’t be surprised if there were performance reasons for them going off spec
    replies(7): >>45942851 #>>45942878 #>>45943031 #>>45943234 #>>45943236 #>>45943578 #>>45943875 #
    1. indentit ◴[16 Nov 25 04:50 UTC] No.45942851[source]▶
    Specifications are there for a reason... Why use Bluetooth at all if they don't actually use it properly?
    replies(4): >>45942971 #>>45943014 #>>45943123 #>>45943227 #
    2. helsinkiandrew ◴[16 Nov 25 05:19 UTC] No.45942971[source]▶
    You can still connect AirPods to an android device using Bluetooth, you just don’t get the seamless connection or support for Spatial Audio that use the extended protocols
    replies(1): >>45943582 #
    3. Aurornis ◴[16 Nov 25 05:33 UTC] No.45943014[source]▶
    > Why use Bluetooth at all if they don't actually use it properly?

    Because they needed a way to get audio to the AirPods wirelessly and to work with their devices? That’s a pretty good reason to use Bluetooth.

    I doubt they got together and tried to scheme a way to break Bluetooth in this one tiny little way for vendor lock in. You can use the basic AirPod features with other Bluetooth devices. It’s just these extended features that were never developed for other platforms.

    HN comments lean heavily conspiratorial but I think the obvious explanation is that the devs built and tested it against iPhone and Mac targets and optimized for that. This minor discrepancy wasn’t worked around because it isn’t triggered on Apple platforms and it’s not a target for them.

    replies(2): >>45943734 #>>45944523 #
    4. binkHN ◴[16 Nov 25 06:05 UTC] No.45943123[source]▶
    This is Microsoft's playbook from many years ago: embrace, extend, extinguish.
    5. fouc ◴[16 Nov 25 06:35 UTC] No.45943227[source]▶
    Perhaps Apple correctly implemented the specification here
    6. gf000 ◴[16 Nov 25 08:24 UTC] No.45943582[source]▶
    You can't even change noise cancel's mode.
    replies(1): >>45944454 #
    7. dabinat ◴[16 Nov 25 09:11 UTC] No.45943734[source]▶
    It reminds me of the USB keyboard extender that came with old Macs. There’s a little notch in the socket so you can only use it with Apple keyboards. At the time I thought it was a petty way of preventing you from using it with any other device, but apparently the reason they didn’t want you to use it with other devices is because the cable didn’t comply with the USB spec.

    Some pictures here: https://www.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/b1u08k/this_...

    replies(2): >>45951069 #>>45952455 #
    8. gf000 ◴[16 Nov 25 12:01 UTC] No.45944454{3}[source]▶
    It's just on and off, and doesn't let you choose between the different ones (transparency, conversation aware, etc)
    9. pbhjpbhj ◴[16 Nov 25 12:12 UTC] No.45944523[source]▶
    >doubt they got together and tried to scheme a way to break Bluetooth in this one tiny little way for vendor lock in.

    No conspiracy needed, surely it would be unilateral? It seems exactly the sort of thing Apple Computers would do to protect their ecosystem.

    10. raw_anon_1111 ◴[17 Nov 25 05:33 UTC] No.45951069{3}[source]▶
    Did you even bother about reading the comments on your own citation?
    replies(1): >>45952102 #
    11. dabinat ◴[17 Nov 25 09:29 UTC] No.45952102{4}[source]▶
    Yes, I did actually. I genuinely don’t know what you’re referring to?
    12. dwaite ◴[17 Nov 25 10:47 UTC] No.45952455{3}[source]▶
    Yes, USB extenders are not spec-legal (because the device isn't built expecting to be extended).

    But you can have an extension cord which accepts USB on one end but doesn't accept USB on the other.

    So the keyboard has a superset connector so that it can go in regular USB and notched USB, because it is verified to work right when using the extension cord.

    This design also means you can't plug one extension cord into another to get an even longer distance (which the keyboard wouldn't expect). Pretty clever solution.