Revision as of 21:00, 22 February 2026 by Bananabot(talk | contribs)(Re-archived 1 citation(s) from archive.today to web.archive.org using CRWCitationBot)
A moderator needs to check the page before this notice can be removed. Visit the noticeboard or the #appeals channel in either Zulip or Discord to request removal.
More info ▼
An article may be flagged as a stub when it is missing major elements needed to make it useful to a reader. You can help by adding missing sections, verifiable sources, relevant company policies and communications, etc. to make the article more complete.
🧽🫧This article needs cleanup. It contains sources and content but lacks proper formatting/structure.
More info ▼
Common issues include not following the correct preload outline (incident, company, product), references that don't use <ref></ref> or Cite web, leftover "WIP" markers, or long quotes not wrapped in Quote. You can help by applying the relevant preload sections, converting raw URLs into proper citations, and removing editor notes.
AirPods are wireless earbuds designed by Apple. They first debuted on September 07, 2016, alongside the iPhone 7, and were released on December 13, 2016.[1][2]
Consumer impact summary
AirPods are designed in a way that makes them unrepairable, leading to customers having to buy a new pair after a few years of use. Apple can replace them, but won't repair them or help you do it yourself. According to an expert from iFixit:[3]
If you want to take this apart, non-destructively, to replace the batteries, as far as I know, that's impossible.
The rechargeable batteries in AirPods can see fast-tracked degradation at a certain number of battery cycles,[3] with two-year-old sets lasting for less than half of the advertised five hours.[4][5]
Up until September 22, 2023, Apple used their proprietary Lightning connector on the AirPods' charging case.[6]
Apple has a program to service batteries and purchase replacement individual AirPods and charging cases. The replacement of one or both AirPods or the charging case has a lower price with AppleCare+ than without. Apple offers battery servicing for free with AppleCare+ and for a fee without.[5]
User Freedom
The features that AirPods are marketed with restrict interoperability, because the customer can only get them within the Apple ecosystem. When used with non-Apple products the functionality is on par with a basic wireless headphone.[7] However there have been projects attempting to regain marketed features of AirPods with non-apple products, such as LibrePods.[8][9]
Incidents
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product line. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the AirPods category.
Replace the placeholder text in the sections below with the incidents that affect this product line and a short summary. Also replace the link so it point to the right company article.
Add your text below this box. Once this section is complete, delete this box by clicking on it and pressing backspace.
a link dump for now until myself or someone else does the proper headings:
