If you’ve been tempted to buy a pair of the best wireless earbuds or headphones, but think they might be just a little too easy to lose, then Apple’s latest Find My update could help to put those fears at ease.
As reported by SlashGear, updates to the Find My network mean that the app can now search for lost AirPods Pro earbuds and AirPods Max headphones. Now, Apple devices running iOS 15 such as the iPhone 13 and iPad Pro can use the Find My app to help locate a lost pair of buds.
Importantly, the AirPods must be updated to the latest firmware to be compatible with the new Find My network update. Unfortunately, there’s no manual way to update your AirPods, but Apple usually rolls them out fairly swiftly.
Thankfully, you’ll know your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max have been updated if they show up as a device in your Find My app. In the device’s settings in the Find My app, you can tap the “Mark as Lost” option in which case the app will begin searching for their signal.
As the Find My Network encompasses other Apple device owners, too, you’ll get a notification if another user passes close by to your lost device, provided they’ve already been marked as lost in the Find My app. This makes it easier than ever to find lost devices if, for example, you dropped them in a public place like a restaurant or park.
Analysis: peace of mind for AirPods owners?
If you currently own a pair of AirPods wireless earbuds or headphones, or are considering picking some up in the near future, then this new Find My app feature should hopefully give music lovers some peace of mind, especially when smaller devices like earbuds can be relatively easy to misplace.
In essence, this new update behaves similarly to Apple’s AirTags, small electronic devices that can be attached onto your valuables allowing them to show up in the Find My app. Thankfully, the latest AirPods firmware update means that you won’t need to spend money on an AirTag in case you lose them.
Here’s hoping that Apple considers enrolling future products into the Find My network, too, preferably at launch if possible. Considering Apple products veer on the more expensive side, it would be great to have at least some peace of mind if we ever lose our AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2 or Apple Watch 7 in the future.