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Did the AirPods Pro just get a surprise upgrade via iOS 16 1 beta

By Andy Sansom published 30 September 2022 A mistake or a reason for first gen owners to block out calls to upgrade? (Image credit: Tom's Guide) If you have access to the iOS 16.1 beta and use the first-generation AirPods Pro, you'll be in for a bit of a surprise today: there's now a toggle for adaptive transparency, a brand-new feature that just debuted on Apple's AirPods Pro 2 that amplifies ambient noise. This is perfect for activities such as running in traffic laden areas and working in the office...but don't get your hopes up just yet. Despite its sudden appearance on the first-gen's settings, it's unclear whether it currently works. On one hand, this new AirPods Pro 2 feature utilizes a H2 chip only found in the latest model of AirPods so it would seem to be a mistake, but users have noticed that the iOS 16.1 beta contains a new AirPods firmware update that seems to enable the feature. Without confirmation from Apple, it's a real toss up. Apple has previously included incompatible options in its devices before so it's possible this is an honest mistake and that the feature unfortunately doesn't work. This kind of thing is exactly what betas are great at catching and fixing, as was the case with the 16.1 beta that fixed the annoying copy-paste bug. (Image credit: Regan Coule/Tom's Guide)

Want the latest features You ll need the AirPods Pro 2

As well as having adaptive transparency the AirPods Pro 2 have a host of features that will definitely not be added to the previous version. Most noticeably, Apple claims the new AirPods have twice the noise-canceling capability of their predecessor, six hours more battery (taking them to an impressive 30 hours) and more responsive touch controls. It's also guaranteed that the AirPods Pro 2 have the adaptive transparency feature. If you're looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds, check out our top picks for any budget, or if you want the perfect partner to connect your Airpods Pro to then check out our guide on the top iPhones you can buy right now.Today's best Apple AirPods Pro dealsReduced Price (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$249 (opens in new tab)$217.95 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$249 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices

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Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Andy SansomTrainee WriterAndy is Tom's Guide's Trainee Writer, which means that he currently writes about pretty much everything we cover. He has previously worked in copywriting and content writing both freelance and for a leading business magazine. His interests include gaming, music and sports- particularly Formula One, football and badminton. Andy's degree is in Creative Writing and he enjoys writing his own screenplays and submitting them to competitions in an attempt to justify three years of studying. More about audio AirPods Pro 2 vs. Beats Fit Pro: Which noise-cancelling earbuds win? I added the Sonos Sub Mini to my home audio setup - and it blew me awayLatest iPhone 15 Ultra could be the toughest Apple phone everSee more latest ► Topics Audio See all comments (0) No comments yet Comment from the forums MOST READMOST SHARED1ExpressVPN review2Amazon Echo (4th Gen) crashes to lowest ever price in early Black Friday deal3Google Pixel 7a makes an appearance on Amazon - but we're a little skeptical4Your iPhone Pro camera has a professional RAW mode - turn it on now5How to edit videos on iPhone1ExpressVPN review2Amazon Echo (4th Gen) crashes to lowest ever price in early Black Friday deal3Google Pixel 7a makes an appearance on Amazon - but we're a little skeptical4Your iPhone Pro camera has a professional RAW mode - turn it on now5How to edit videos on iPhone