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Actually they do. What's "magical" and "reinvented" is the fact that the AirPods seamlessly switch to whatever device you're currently using, so you can switch

by eridius 10y ago

Actually they do. What's "magical" and "reinvented" is the fact that the AirPods seamlessly switch to whatever device you're currently using, so you can switch between your desktop, laptop, iPhone, and iPad without having to actually do anything to trigger the switch. In addition, it automatically pauses your music when you take your AirPods out of your ears (and resumes it if you put them back in).

derimagia 10y ago
Is it actually seamless? As in zero seconds? I have headphones that "seamlessly" switch between multiple bluetooth connections. It has about a half of a second silence between switching which is a bit annoying though. That delay is what I thought a limitation of bluetooh, or are you talking about something different?
srhngpr 10y ago
My Plantronics headset [1] has been doing most of this for years. I keep it connected to my work laptop and smartphone simultaneously and can take calls on either device with seamless switching. It also detects when it is on my ear or not. [1]: https://www.plantronics.com/us/product/voyager-legend-uc https://www.plantronics.com/us/product/voyager-legend-uc
- Firefishy 10y ago
  And the Plantronics BackBeat PRO headphones: http://www.plantronics.com/uk/product/backbeat-pro http://www.plantronics.com/uk/product/backbeat-pro
- eridius 10y ago
  It sounds like that's just taking calls on both devices, right? AirPods intelligently route all audio, not just calls, and it does it based on the notion of what your "current" device is rather than whatever device is emitting audio (e.g. if you're using your iPhone, AIUI it won't switch to your computer just because your computer started playing audio).
lewisl9029 10y ago
> The AirPods seamlessly switch to whatever device you're currently using, so you can switch between your desktop, laptop, iPhone, and iPad without having to actually do anything to trigger the switch. Wait... Honest question: How? Does it switch based on which input source is currently playing audio? What if more than one is playing at a time?
- rplst8 10y ago
  Yeah this feature sounds rife with good intention but no basis in reality as to how people actually use their computer/devices.
  - nicky0 10y ago
    Honest question, useless answer
- eridius 10y ago
  It's based on Handoff. Your devices already have a notion of which device you're currently using, which it uses to trigger Handoff (so you can resume an activity on your new device that you were just doing on a previous device). AirPods hook into that and switch input to the "current" device (but I believe only if it plays audio; that way picking up your iPhone won't disconnect you from your computer if you're not doing something audio-related. Of course, I don't have AirPods myself, so I can't verify, but I believe that's how it works).
ClassyJacket 10y ago
They don't switch to the Mac automatically. You have to select them in the audio menu.
acjohnson55 10y ago
My Bose QuietControl 30s do this, although they are limited to 2 devices.

by eridius 10y ago

derimagia 10y ago

Is it actually seamless? As in zero seconds? I have headphones that "seamlessly" switch between multiple bluetooth connections. It has about a half of a second silence between switching which is a bit annoying though. That delay is what I thought a limitation of bluetooh, or are you talking about something different?

srhngpr 10y ago

My Plantronics headset [1] has been doing most of this for years. I keep it connected to my work laptop and smartphone simultaneously and can take calls on either device with seamless switching. It also detects when it is on my ear or not. [1]: https://www.plantronics.com/us/product/voyager-legend-uc https://www.plantronics.com/us/product/voyager-legend-uc

Firefishy 10y ago
And the Plantronics BackBeat PRO headphones: http://www.plantronics.com/uk/product/backbeat-pro http://www.plantronics.com/uk/product/backbeat-pro
eridius 10y ago
It sounds like that's just taking calls on both devices, right? AirPods intelligently route all audio, not just calls, and it does it based on the notion of what your "current" device is rather than whatever device is emitting audio (e.g. if you're using your iPhone, AIUI it won't switch to your computer just because your computer started playing audio).

lewisl9029 10y ago

> The AirPods seamlessly switch to whatever device you're currently using, so you can switch between your desktop, laptop, iPhone, and iPad without having to actually do anything to trigger the switch. Wait... Honest question: How? Does it switch based on which input source is currently playing audio? What if more than one is playing at a time?

rplst8 10y ago
Yeah this feature sounds rife with good intention but no basis in reality as to how people actually use their computer/devices.
- nicky0 10y ago
  Honest question, useless answer
eridius 10y ago
It's based on Handoff. Your devices already have a notion of which device you're currently using, which it uses to trigger Handoff (so you can resume an activity on your new device that you were just doing on a previous device). AirPods hook into that and switch input to the "current" device (but I believe only if it plays audio; that way picking up your iPhone won't disconnect you from your computer if you're not doing something audio-related. Of course, I don't have AirPods myself, so I can't verify, but I believe that's how it works).

ClassyJacket 10y ago

They don't switch to the Mac automatically. You have to select them in the audio menu.

acjohnson55 10y ago

My Bose QuietControl 30s do this, although they are limited to 2 devices.