Upcoming AirPods Pro firmware updates are now available to Apple Developer Program members as beta versions.
AirPods Pro firmware beta one features FaceTime Spatial Audio and Ambient Noise Reduction. Custom Transparency mode, including Conversation Boost, was initially expected to be included in the beta but appears to have been delayed for a later version.
Apple made the announcement that beta firmware for AirPods Pro would be available to developers earlier this year, allowing for certain AirPods Pro software features or changes to be widely tested before they are pushed to the public, but it did not originally give a timeframe for its release.
The beta firmware is now available to download under the "More Downloads" heading on the Apple Developer website. To install the beta firmware, users must have an iPhone running iOS 15 beta software, a Mac running Xcode 13 beta software, and have fully charged their AirPods Pro.
Installing the beta firmware is more laborious than most other Apple Developer betas. It requires an AirPods Pro configuration profile to be installed on an iPhone, AirPods Pro to be connected to the iPhone, the iPhone to be connected to a Mac running the Xcode 13 beta, iPhone Prerelease Beta Firmware settings to be turned on, AirPods Pro automatic beta software updates to be turned on, and then an on-screen process to be followed. Apple notes that users should be patient as it can take up to 24 hours to receive and install these updates.
Users should be aware that once installed, there is no way to roll back to a non-beta version of the AirPods Pro firmware. The only option is to turn off further updates and wait for a non-beta release.
Previously, there was no way to manually update AirPods devices with new firmware, with updates simply being installed automatically in the background when connected to power and nearby to a paired iPhone or iPad with an internet connection.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie.
"Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
"It requires an AirPods Pro configuration profile to be installed on an iPhone, AirPods Pro to be connected to the iPhone, the iPhone to be connected to a Mac running the Xcode 13 beta, iPhone Prerelease Beta Firmware settings to be turned on, AirPods Pro automatic beta software updates to be turned on, and then an on-screen process to be followed."
Then put your right foot in and shake it all around...
So you can adjust transparency but not noise cancelation, literally the one thing Pro users have been asking for that other ANC headphones do with the push of a button? Jesus, Apple. ??♂️
They feel snappier, battery life has been awesome, Private Relay is quick, Safari has been fixed and those raindrops sound so real you can almost feel them when it's raining. Wait...
