While the firmware update process for AirPods true wireless headphones has been a mystery, with the release of iOS 16 Developer Beta 5 this week, users will finally be able to check out the details related to the firmware update. With iOS 16 Beta 5 installed, you’ll be able to navigate to the Bluetooth menu, click on the corresponding AirPods in the Accessories list, and view the firmware version of your AirPods in System Settings.
As u/NoticeCrafty pointed out on the Reddit “r/iOSBeta” sub-section, you can now find out the current firmware version of your AirPods and charging case by clicking on “Firmware Version”. version.
You can also find this information by tapping on the new top-level menu for AirPods in System Settings, instead of going to the Bluetooth device menu as you did before.
There’s also an additional line of explanation below this information — firmware details are available on Apple’s official support page (hyperlinked to support.apple.com).
However, at this stage Apple has not yet enabled link hopping, as no specific article has been posted on the official support page.
Looking ahead, Apple could apparently easily include release notes for the new AirPods firmware here, and Reddit users have speculated that the experience could be similar to that of Apple’s AirTag smart tracker.
Finally, it may also mean that Apple is preparing to bring a way for users to “manually update their AirPods to the new firmware version.
Currently, the system automatically chooses to perform firmware updates in the background when the user puts the AirPods back in the charging case and they are within range of the iPhone signal.
