Apple has announced the rollout of a firmware update for the 2nd generation AirPods Pro, but as with previous updates, we don’t know what’s in it. But it could be a solution to a nagging audio problem that has affected some users.
As of November 8, version 5B58 will only be available for the new AirPods Pro, while the previous Pro models, the AirPods Max, and both the 2nd and 3rd generation standard AirPods all remain at 4E71. The only thing Apple reveals in the release notes is that 5B58 contains “Bug fixes and other improvements”.
While it’s rare to release a firmware update for a single model, the lack of detail isn’t uncommon. Unlike updates to iOS and macOS, Apple’s AirPods firmware updates rarely reveal much information about what’s changed; the previous 5A377 version had the exact same one-line release notes, as did the 4E71 still used by the other models. For some reason, iOS and macOS updates have become part of the sales Apple uses to get users excited about their iPhones and Macs, while AirPods firmware updates are quietly tossed out in response to fixes the company would rather not. talk about.
One such bug that may be the focus for 5B58 is the so-called “audio drift” that some owners of the 2nd gen AirPods Pro complained about on Reddit (via 9to5Mac) last month. Users complained about sudden and unexpected shifts in volume and thought they might be related to noise cancellation on the new headphones. However, it is not clear whether 5B58 tries to solve or succeeds in solving this problem. One respondent on the Reddit thread claimed that the 5B5040c beta (an earlier version of the public release of 5B58) “appears to fix the problem”.
Some users complained that active noise cancellation on their AirPods Max was less effective after the most recent 4E71 update. It is not clear whether the AirPods Pro firmware update will have the same effect.
AirPods updates are delivered automatically when the device is charging and near your iPhone or iPad.
