Apple has announced a service program for its AirPods Pro earbuds, after a number of units were found to be experiencing sound issues.
If you think your AirPods have been affected by the issue, you could be entitled to a new pair of earbuds completely free of charge.
According to Apple, a faulty pair of AirPods Pro will exhibit “crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise or while talking on the phone” and/or “Active Noise Cancellation not working as expected, such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds, such as street or airplane noise”.
Read our review of the AirPods Pro
Basically, if your AirPods are struggling with static or the ANC isn’t working correctly, you may be eligible for this new service program.
If you think your AirPods have been affected by these issues, you can contact Apple or an Apple Authorised Service Provider to get your buds replaced free of charge.
Your AirPods will first be examined to ensure they are eligible for the program. If an issue is confirmed, Apple will replace the earbuds at no additional cost. The AirPods Pro case is not affected by this issue so make sure you keep that on hand for your new pair.
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Apple announced the new initiative on Friday – exactly one year after the AirPods Pro were first released. This also means that Apple’s one year limited warranty began expiring for those who bought the earbuds on day one last Friday. The program’s implementation means those buyers will still be able to seek free repairs on faulty units bought on October 30 2019.
The AirPods Pro service program is available worldwide for affected units manufactured before October 2020 and covers affected AirPods Pro units for two years after their sale.