Do AirPods work with Android? What non-iPhone users need to know about Apple earbuds

Date:
Sun, 13 Feb 2022 15:00:01 +0000

Description:
Using the AirPods, AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max with an Android? Weve got you covered.

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Apples AirPods line of true wireless earbuds and headphones is among the most popular on the planet and like all Apple products, these personal audio devices are designed to work seamlessly within the brands wider ecosystem.

This means that using AirPods with an iPhone , iPad , or Mac is super simple; but what if you want to use your Apple buds or headphones with your Android phone ? Well, youll be pleased to learn that it is possible but be aware
that you may miss out on a few AirPods features, such as support for Spatial Audio and super-fast pairing.

Luckily, there are some workarounds you can take advantage of, including apps that bring back some AirPods functionality that wouldnt normally be available to Android users.

Whether youve recently splashed out on the AirPods Max over-ear headphones,
or youre eyeing up the new Samsung Galaxy S22 and want to keep using your old AirPods, heres everything you need to know about using AirPods with an Android. How to connect AirPods to Android phones (Image credit: Future)

If youre using a pair of AirPods with an Android phone for the first time,
you might be wondering how to pair the earbuds or headphones with your
device.

AirPods 2019, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro

First, open your AirPods charging case and then open the Bluetooth settings
on your Android phone by going to Settings > Connected Devices > Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is switched on.

Now hold down the pairing button on the back of your AirPods case the LED on the front of the case should flash white.

Look for your AirPods in the list of Bluetooth accessories and tap Pair. Your AirPods should now be connected to your Android phone.

AirPods Max

The process for pairing the AirPods Max is exactly the same as it is for the true wireless AirPods, except youll need to hold down the noise control
button on the headphones, rather than the pairing button on the other AirPods charging cases.

This button can be found on the top of the right earcup, on the opposite side of the headband to the Digital Crown . The status light at the bottom of the earcup should flash white, and once the AirPods Max appear in the Bluetooth devices list on your Android device, press Pair Which AirPods features dont work on Android? (Image credit: TechRadar)

The Apple AirPods line boasts excellent connectivity, great integration with the Apple ecosystem, and a simple user experience, making them a popular choice for anyone who wants to listen to music on the go. And, while the AirPods (2019) arent the best-sounding earbuds on the planet, Apple has taken great strides in terms of audio performance with the AirPods Pro , AirPods 3 and AirPods Max.

Unfortunately, some of the most positive AirPods features arent supported natively on Android devices, which puts non-iPhone users in a tricky position when it comes to choosing their next wireless headphones or earbuds.

Simple setup

Pairing AirPods with an iOS device is as easy as opening the case near your device or, for the AirPods Max, taking them out of their Smart Case and holding them close to the iOS device. A setup animation will then appear on your screen, with the AirPods automatically connecting. Pairing AirPods with
a Mac requires you to head into your System Settings and select the AirPods manually.

Theres no workaround to make pairing any faster on Android devices but, luckily, the process is very quick anyway.

Siri

Android devices dont come with Apples voice assistant, so dont expect to be able to summon Siri with your voice while wearing a pair of AirPods. However, there is an app called Assistant Trigger that you can download for free,
which lets you squeeze the stem on your AirPods to summon Google Assistant.

Checking the battery

When you pair your AirPods with an iPhone, youll see an animation that displays the battery status of your earbuds or headphones. While this doesnt happen on Android, the Assistant Trigger app mentioned earlier can also show you how much playback time is remaining.

Automatic Switching

You can switch AirPods between different iOS devices automatically so if youre listening on your iPhone, all you have to do is start playing music on iPad to swap to your tablet.

Customizing the controls

On an iOS device, you can change the function of a double-tap on the touch-sensitive housings of the AirPods for instance, you could set it up to skip your music to the next track. This isnt possible on Android devices.

Automatic pausing

Your AirPods will automatically stop playing music on removing the buds from your ears. While this doesnt usually work with Android devices, the Assistant Trigger app does make this possible. However, the apps website does state
that this feature doesnt work with the Motorola Moto G5 Plus, Xiaomi Mi A1,
or Redmi Note 5.

Listening with one earbud

While you can listen to music or podcasts with a single AirPod when using an iOS device, you need to have both AirPods out of the case to use them with an Android.

Spatial Audio

The Spatial Audio feature available with the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max is limited to iOS devices, so you wont be able to hear music in virtual surround sound if youre using an Android phone.

Find My

The AirPods are integrated into Apples Find My network, so you can easily recover the buds if you misplace them. Theres no such feature available on Android devices.

Conversation Boost

The AirPods Pro can help you hear face-to-face conversations by boosting the volume using computational audio and beamforming microphones. Android users arent able to use this feature, since you need the latest version of iOS or iPadOS for it to work. Will the AirPods Pro 2 work with Android? The current AirPods Pro true wireless earbuds. (Image credit: Apple)

Like the current models in the AirPods line, we think Apple will keep some of the best features of the rumored AirPods Pro 2 exclusive to iOS users. Recent updates to the range such as Automatic Switching have included lots of extra connectivity within the Apple ecosystem, so it appears that Apple wants to ensure its products are used together.

That interconnectivity isnt limited to AirPods. For example, a new Handoff feature lets you push music playing on your iPhone to your HomePod mini by simply holding your smartphone close to the smart speaker .

But Apple has recently shown more willingness to allow non-iPhone users to access the best features of its audio devices via its subsidiary Beats. The Beats Fit Pro dont feature Apples H1 headphone chip, coming with USB-C charging (AirPods use Apples Lightning port), one-touch pairing, and a Google Play Store app. However, Android users still dont get access to their always-listening voice assistant or Spatial Audio so there are limitations
if youre not using an iPhone. What are the best AirPods alternatives for Android users?

If this has put you off using AirPods with your Android device, dont worry: there are lots of fantastic wireless headphones and earbuds that work just as well with Android as they do with iOS. Weve rounded up a few of our favorite examples below: (Image credit: Sony) 1. Sony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds

The best AirPods Pro alternatives Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 7.3g | Frequency response: 20-40,000Hz | Drivers: 6mm | Battery life : 8 hours (earbuds) 16 hours (charging case) Rapid, full-bodied and eloquent sound
Truly useful features Impressive call quality Unremarkable battery life No aptX support

Sony is largely responsible for the rude health of the active
noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds market, and with the WF-1000XM4, the company has combined performance, ergonomics, and build quality more effectively than ever before.

Compared to the AirPods Pro, the Sony earbuds offer enough quality-of-life features to make them worth considering, even if you do have an iPhone - not least due to their cheaper price and superior sound quality.

While other true wireless earbuds surpass the Sony WF-1000XM4 in particular areas noise cancellation, for example no other model comes close to
offering such excellent quality across the board. Thats why the Sony WF-1000XM4 are hands-down the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today.

Read more: Sony WF-1000XM4 review (Image credit: Sony) 2. Sony WH-1000XM4

The best AirPods Max alternatives Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 8.95 oz | Cable length: 3.94 ft | Frequency response: 4Hz to 40kHz | Drivers: 1.57-inch | Driver type: Dome-type | Sensitivity: 104.5 dB | Impedance: 47 ohm |
Battery life: 30 hours | Wireless range: 30 meters (98ft) | NFC: Yes Improved noise-cancellation DSEE Extreme audio upscaling Multipoint pairing Not water-resistant

The Sony WH-1000XM4 are the best wireless headphones you can buy, thanks to their excellent noise-cancellation, supreme sound quality, and lightweight wireless design.

While they don't look significantly different from their predecessors, the Sony WH-1000XM3 , a number of new features including multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness and auto-play/pause using a built-in sensor all help the WH-1000XM4 claim the title of best headphones overall in 2022.

By every possible metric, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are a wonderful pair of
wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They deliver exactly what they promise and then some thanks to their exceptional noise cancellation and cutting-edge codec support.

On top of the adjustments listed above, the Sony WH-1000XM4 support Sonys 360 Reality Audio format that enables spatial audio on stereo headphones - just like the AirPods Max, but for nearly half the price.

Read more: Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones review 3. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

The best AirPods alternatives for Samsung users Acoustic Design: Closed | Weight: 6.3g | Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz | Drivers: Dynamic 2-way drivers | Driver Type: Dynamic 2-way drivers | Sensitivity: 105 dB | Impedance: 36 Ohms | Battery Life: 18 hours (with case) | Wireless Range: 35ft | NFC: Yes IPX7 waterproof Basic noise cancellation Simple touch
controls Flat, cramped sound No Google Assistant / Siri support Bulge out of the ear

These true wireless buds from Samsung are a big step up from the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live , offering better sound and microphone quality with multipoint pairing and spatial audio support.

While there's a new model on the scene the Galaxy Buds 2 the Buds Pro are still well worth buying.

It's worth nothing that they dont offer the same level of noise cancellation as over-ear headphones or the sound quality of some of the other high-end earbuds on this list, but for their price they offer just enough of both to
be competitive and deserving of a place on our best wireless earbuds list. Plus, they come with support for spatial audio, like the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

The Galaxy Buds Pro are specially built to cater to people who already have a Samsung phone. Thats because they offer multipoint pairing, hands-free Bixby support (but not Google Assistant) and the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app this is only available on Android that youll need to use to unlock the Buds best features.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro review (Image credit: Lypertek) 4. Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0

The best cheap AirPods alternatives Acoustic design: : Closed | Frequency response: : 20Hz - 20kHz | Drivers:: Graphene, 6mm dynamic | Battery life: : 10 hours (earbuds) 70 hours (charging case) Excellent sound Great price Top-notch battery life Ambient mode is poor

When we first reviewed the original Lypertek PurePlay Z3 true wireless
earbuds (then known as the Lypertek Tevi), we were blown away. The Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 true wireless earbuds are their successors.

Theyre very similar to the originals, with a few key improvements, and yet still come in at the same affordable price point the originals did $99 / 99.

This gets you everything we loved about the original PurePlay Z3 including a detailed, well balanced sound, and a whopping 80-hour total battery life from its petite USB-C charging case. New features include wireless charging, a powerful new LDX Audio mode, improved app functionality and a hear-through ambient mode.

Our own issue is that app connectivity is patchy at best, and the ambient hear-through mode is pretty much useless in comparison to the AirPods Pro.

Yet, with the price still so low, and nothing to detract from the quality standard the originals set out, they remain must-have earbuds, more than a match for the AirPods (2019).

Read more: Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 review (Image credit: beats/apple) 5. Beats Fit Pro

The best AirPod Pro alternatives with a Beats look and sound Acoustic Design: Closed | Weight: 5.6 g | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 9.5mm drivers | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 6 hours (24 in total with case) | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A Active noise cancellation Spatial audio on Apple Music Can be uncomfortable Android users miss out on features

Think of the Beats Fit Pro as theApple AirPods Prowith a few modifications
and at a lower price. They have a robust feature set that includes active noise cancellation, spatial audio support and hands-free Siri on iOS, as well as a prominent wing tip, which helps to hold them in your ears when youre working out.

They have slightly better battery life and a smaller carrying case than the older Powerbeats Pro and deliver better results than the similar-looking
Beats Studio Buds , which makes them well worth an upgrade.

But there are a few niggling issues. Noise cancellation is akin to the
AirPods Pro, but theyre not quite as powerful as other earbuds from Bose and Sony. And although the wing tips hold them in place, during our testing we found they also add extra pressure to the outer ears. It's also worth mentioning that Android users wont quite get the full experience (i.e.
spatial audio and hands-free voice assistance) that iOS users get.

But although they're not perfect, these are a snug-fitting, workout-friendly alternative to Apples flagship true wireless earbuds.

Read more: Beats Fit Pro review AirPods Max 2: everything we know so far



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/do-airpods-work-with-android-what-non-iphone-us ers-need-to-know-about-apple-earbuds/


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