3 ms·

The audio input comes from the AirPods not the iPhone. It’s processed on the iPhone. The audio is captured by the outward facing microphones used for active n

The audio input comes from the AirPods not the iPhone. It’s processed on the iPhone. The audio is captured by the outward facing microphones used for active noise cancellations. That’s why it only works for AirPods Pro 2, 3 and AirPods 4 with ANC. That wouldn’t just work with any headphones. Even the AirPods Pro 2 will need a firmware update. They won’t work with just any old headphones and seeing that even the AirPods Pro 2 need a firmware update tells me that it is something they are doing with their H2 chip in their headphones in concert with the iPhone.

StopDisinfo910 1y ago
I mean, technically, any competitors with noise cancelling headphones able to pick up a voice stream would be able to use the same processing on the iPhone to offer an equivalent feature. That it only works with AirPods is just Apple discriminating in favour of their own product which is exactly what the EU was going after.
- JustExAWS 1y ago
  Sure if they also want to train a model that supports their sound profile, build an app that captures the audio, etc. But their $60 ANC headphones with cheap audio processing hardware in the headphones aren’t going to be sufficient. They may even be able to use the exposed models on the phone.
  - StopDisinfo910 1y ago
    > But their $60 ANC headphones with cheap audio processing hardware in the headphones aren’t going to be sufficient. The equivalent feature on Android tells me it would. I mean it already does technically. Are we supposed to treat Apple being late to the party as usual as some kind of exceptional thing only them could do?
    - JustExAWS 1y ago
      According to the specs - it only works with Google’s own headphones https://support.google.com/googlepixelbuds/answer/7573100?hl=en&authuser=1 https://support.google.com/googlepixelbuds/answer/7573100?hl... Which are the same price as Apple’s AirPods with ANC. So Google also didn’t try to support the feature with generic earbuds.
      - StopDisinfo910 1y ago
        The contrary is literally written in a large yellow box on the page you linked: “Note: Google Translate works with all Assistant-optimized headphones and Android phones.” But I mean, you are free to buy overpriced Apple headphones which sounds worse than Sony, only properly works paired with an Apple phone or laptop and whose killer feature was available on their competitors buds years ago if that rocks your boat.
        JustExAWS 1y ago
        You didn’t look at the prices of other “Google assistant” compatible headphones did you? And those Sony ones aren’t cheap. The first review I found comparing them.. https://wasteofserver.com/sony-wf-1000xm4-vs-apple/ https://wasteofserver.com/sony-wf-1000xm4-vs-apple/ Why would I want to by a none Apple laptop with horrible battery life, loud, and that produces enough heat to ensure that I don’t have offspring if I actually put it on my lap?
        ioasuncvinvaer 1y ago
        Over the course of this thread your argument went from "It's not technically possible" and "they will have to train their own models" to "I don't want to buy certain devices".
        JustExAWS 1y ago
        No I said it wasn’t technically possible on any cheap headphones because while the processing was done on the phone, the audio capture was done by the outside microphones on Apple headphones that have ANC and even the older ones of those required Apple to update the firmware on its own AirPods working in concert. This is no different than Google not supporting just any old headphones. Then the argument came that Apple’s AirPods are “overpriced” even though the cheapest AirPods that support it - AirPods 4 with ANC are in the same price range as Google’s and cheaper than the worse sounding and more expensive Sony Earbuds.
  - Zak 1y ago
    > But their $60 ANC headphones with cheap audio processing hardware in the headphones aren’t going to be sufficient. Maybe, maybe not. Assuming Apple's motivation isn't pure self-dealing, it's very consistent with Apple's behavior to forbid or impede doing things that are absolutely possible but sometimes result in a sub-par experience.
    - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
      How many $60 headphones work with Google’s version?
      - bryan_w 1y ago
        All of them.
        raw_anon_1111 1y ago
        Not according to the official specs….
        deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
      - Zak 1y ago
        It's oddly difficult to find solid answers to this with a web search, but it appears that it just needs protocol support, not a mic that meets specific standards. The (discontinued?) JBL 110GA is $40 on Amazon.
        raw_anon_1111 1y ago
        Which I’m not able to find on Amazon…
        Zak 1y ago
        https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G2LXMDV https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G2LXMDV

StopDisinfo910 1y ago

I mean, technically, any competitors with noise cancelling headphones able to pick up a voice stream would be able to use the same processing on the iPhone to offer an equivalent feature. That it only works with AirPods is just Apple discriminating in favour of their own product which is exactly what the EU was going after.

JustExAWS 1y ago
Sure if they also want to train a model that supports their sound profile, build an app that captures the audio, etc. But their $60 ANC headphones with cheap audio processing hardware in the headphones aren’t going to be sufficient. They may even be able to use the exposed models on the phone.
- StopDisinfo910 1y ago
  > But their $60 ANC headphones with cheap audio processing hardware in the headphones aren’t going to be sufficient. The equivalent feature on Android tells me it would. I mean it already does technically. Are we supposed to treat Apple being late to the party as usual as some kind of exceptional thing only them could do?
  - JustExAWS 1y ago
    According to the specs - it only works with Google’s own headphones https://support.google.com/googlepixelbuds/answer/7573100?hl=en&authuser=1 https://support.google.com/googlepixelbuds/answer/7573100?hl... Which are the same price as Apple’s AirPods with ANC. So Google also didn’t try to support the feature with generic earbuds.
    - StopDisinfo910 1y ago
      The contrary is literally written in a large yellow box on the page you linked: “Note: Google Translate works with all Assistant-optimized headphones and Android phones.” But I mean, you are free to buy overpriced Apple headphones which sounds worse than Sony, only properly works paired with an Apple phone or laptop and whose killer feature was available on their competitors buds years ago if that rocks your boat.
      - JustExAWS 1y ago
        You didn’t look at the prices of other “Google assistant” compatible headphones did you? And those Sony ones aren’t cheap. The first review I found comparing them.. https://wasteofserver.com/sony-wf-1000xm4-vs-apple/ https://wasteofserver.com/sony-wf-1000xm4-vs-apple/ Why would I want to by a none Apple laptop with horrible battery life, loud, and that produces enough heat to ensure that I don’t have offspring if I actually put it on my lap?
        ioasuncvinvaer 1y ago
        Over the course of this thread your argument went from "It's not technically possible" and "they will have to train their own models" to "I don't want to buy certain devices".
        JustExAWS 1y ago
        No I said it wasn’t technically possible on any cheap headphones because while the processing was done on the phone, the audio capture was done by the outside microphones on Apple headphones that have ANC and even the older ones of those required Apple to update the firmware on its own AirPods working in concert. This is no different than Google not supporting just any old headphones. Then the argument came that Apple’s AirPods are “overpriced” even though the cheapest AirPods that support it - AirPods 4 with ANC are in the same price range as Google’s and cheaper than the worse sounding and more expensive Sony Earbuds.
- Zak 1y ago
  > But their $60 ANC headphones with cheap audio processing hardware in the headphones aren’t going to be sufficient. Maybe, maybe not. Assuming Apple's motivation isn't pure self-dealing, it's very consistent with Apple's behavior to forbid or impede doing things that are absolutely possible but sometimes result in a sub-par experience.
  - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
    How many $60 headphones work with Google’s version?
    - bryan_w 1y ago
      All of them.
      - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
        Not according to the official specs….
        deleted 1y ago
        [deleted]
    - Zak 1y ago
      It's oddly difficult to find solid answers to this with a web search, but it appears that it just needs protocol support, not a mic that meets specific standards. The (discontinued?) JBL 110GA is $40 on Amazon.
      - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
        Which I’m not able to find on Amazon…
        Zak 1y ago
        https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G2LXMDV https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07G2LXMDV