Apple May Make It Easier to Manage AirPods in IOS 27.
There are plenty of great headphones on the market , but if you’re an Apple user, AirPods are one of the best options . While Apple’s headphones themselves offer fantastic sound quality, their biggest advantage is compatibility with other Apple products. If you have a single device, like an iPhone, AirPods will instantly connect to it as soon as you put them in your ears; if you have multiple devices, like a Mac or iPad, AirPods will automatically switch between them when you launch different audio sources. If you have an Apple TV, you can quickly connect AirPods with a single press of a button on the remote and watch movies and TV shows without disturbing anyone else in the house. For those within the Apple ecosystem, AirPods are a great choice.
However, AirPods have one significant drawback, especially for Android users switching from competing earbuds: settings and controls. The thing is, AirPods are perfect when you don’t have to fiddle with the default settings. Automatic pairing, automatic switching, Conversation Detection: the automatic settings make AirPods easy to use. But once you start thinking about changing the settings, things get a bit confusing. Instead of a dedicated app for managing these settings, Apple distributes AirPods settings throughout the device’s operating system. Take iOS, for example: you can control a number of settings using the volume slider in Control Center, including noise cancellation, Conversation Detection, and spatial sound. But you won’t find other settings, especially those related to personalizing your AirPods. For that, you’ll have to head to the Settings app. Once paired, your AirPods should appear at the top of the page. If they don’t, you may need to go to Bluetooth settings and tap the (i) icon next to your AirPods. Here you’ll find all the settings and features you can change on your AirPods, with the exception of the equalizer. If you want to change it (at least for Apple Music), you’ll need to find the Music app’s settings page and then select “Equalizer.” Overall, the whole process is quite confusing.
iOS 27 may bring improved AirPods controls.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman , Apple may improve the situation with the upcoming iOS 27 update. Gurman says Apple has “heard feedback” about the AirPods’ unsatisfactory settings management interface, and while the company isn’t necessarily developing a dedicated app, it is taking steps to update the AirPods settings menu.
The goal is to make the menu “more functional, better organized, and more convenient.” Details are still scarce, but Gurman says the update should make using AirPods easier, and users will be able to clearly see all of their AirPods’ features in the new menu. This could mean a more consistent placement in the Settings app, as well as a reorganization of the Settings menu with clearly labeled categories and explanations for all features.
Personally, I think Apple should add graphics and animations to this space. Some features are too complex for a brief text description; people may need to see them in action to learn how to use them. One of my favorite features of the AirPods Pro is adaptive transparency, which can reduce the volume of sounds without blocking them. Educating users on how to use this feature, and even adjusting its sensitivity, would be a great way to update the settings design.
AirPods really need a dedicated app.
While this may be a step in the right direction, AirPods are in dire need of a dedicated app. Apple could make the new settings menu as clear and easy to use as possible, but how many people will dig through the Settings app to find these options? I think new AirPods users are more likely to try the “AirPods” app on their iPhone and learn about all the features of their new earbuds, as well as how they can personalize their experience to suit their needs.
Furthermore, Apple is long overdue for more advanced equalizer and tuning settings that would fit seamlessly into the AirPods app. While the overall sound quality is excellent for most users, many other headphones already offer similar settings, allowing users to personalize their listening experience. Apple’s built-in equalizer presets are far from adequate, as each one can’t be customized. If the “Bass Booster” feature isn’t boosting the bass enough, that’s your problem. Apple doesn’t like it when users deviate from its core design, but when it comes to AirPods, especially the AirPods Pro, I think the company should make some concessions.
According to Bloomberg, an AirPods app isn’t coming anytime soon, so I’m lucky to be getting the improved AirPods settings in iOS 27 at all. But if Apple really wants to update the AirPods control interface, I hope they consider creating a dedicated app for iOS 28—or even the future iOS 27.