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AirPods libreated from Apple's ecosystem

(github.com)
1424 points moonleay | 8 comments | 16 Nov 25 00:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source | bottom
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isoprophlex ◴[16 Nov 25 06:17 UTC] No.45943174[source]▶
From a bit further down the page

> Bluetooth DID (Device Identification) Hook > Turns out, if you change the manufacturerid to that of Apple, you get access to several special features!

I hope Apple gets slammed hard by some regulatory body. Apparently there's absolutely zero magic reasons why their airpods are unable to connect to non-Apple devices; pretend you're an iPhone and you're in.

EDIT: read "unable to connect" => "unable to expose advanced functionality", ofc they connect just fine

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exitb ◴[16 Nov 25 06:36 UTC] No.45943230[source]▶
AirPods can connect to any device and perform on par with other Bluetooth headphones. This is about availability of special features which require a dedicated driver non-Apple devices are not expected to have.
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1. MagicMoonlight ◴[16 Nov 25 13:12 UTC] No.45944871[source]▶
They don't. I love my airpods but it's not viable to use them with anything other than my phone.
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2. gjstein ◴[16 Nov 25 13:18 UTC] No.45944927[source]▶
What sort of laptop/desktop do you have? I regularly use my AirPods with my Steam Deck and they work great!
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3. danielbln ◴[16 Nov 25 14:34 UTC] No.45945426[source]▶
Same, use them with my Switch 2 without issues.
4. bloppe ◴[16 Nov 25 16:47 UTC] No.45946438[source]▶
Really? Even multi-device connectivity?
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5. thewebguyd ◴[16 Nov 25 17:15 UTC] No.45946656{3}[source]▶
When you pair AirPods with a non-Apple bluetooth device, you lose the automatic device switching is all. You can still "enter and exit" the Apple ecosystem with them by just going into Bluetooth settings and tapping on the AirPods and they'll reconnect to Apple-land and start switching again, and vice versa. Once paired with, say, Windows, it'll auto-connect or you can manually trigger it by just tapping them in Bluetooth settings.

Once paired, AirPods just work like any other bluetooth headphones.

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6. bloppe ◴[16 Nov 25 17:25 UTC] No.45946754{4}[source]▶
I mean ya, if they couldn't do that, then you couldn't even call it Bluetooth.

I was asking about multi-device connectivity, which is a slightly more advanced feature that lots of other earbuds can do in a cross-platform way.

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7. PaulHoule ◴[16 Nov 25 22:11 UTC] No.45948904{5}[source]▶
My experience is that high end headphones from v-Moda and Plantronics are better about multi-device use with Windows and iPhone than the Airpods are, with those I can just play on whatever device and the right thing happens almost always.
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8. NoGravitas ◴[17 Nov 25 18:40 UTC] No.45956523{6}[source]▶
Doesn't even have to be high-end. My Anker Soundcore headphones seem to always do the right thing with multi-device.