Gurman: iOS 16.1 Adaptive Transparency Option for Original AirPods Pro and AirPods Max is a Bug

The AirPods Pro 2 Adaptive Transparency feature is not coming to the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ or the AirPods Max, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The Adaptive Transparency setting that appeared in the third iOS 16.1 beta is apparently a bug.

adaptive transparency airpods pro
‌AirPods Max‌ and original ‌AirPods Pro‌ owners noticed an Adaptive Transparency setting that had replaced the original Transparency setting shortly after upgrading to the latest iOS 16.1 and the AirPods beta firmware, and the assumption was that Apple was expanding the feature to additional devices.


Apple does not often tout new features like Adaptive Transparency and bring them to older devices, so it was a curious decision, and it makes sense that it was actually added in error. It's likely that there is no Adaptive Transparency implementation for the original ‌AirPods Pro‌ and ‌AirPods Max‌ at all, and Apple accidentally made the Adaptive Transparency setting visible for devices that do not actually support it.

Adaptive Transparency is an ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 feature that Apple highlighted extensively when introducing the new earbuds, attributing it to the new H2 chip. Adaptive Transparency is designed to allow the ‌AirPods Pro‌ quiet loud sounds, such as sirens, construction work, or loud speakers at a concert without blocking out all noise.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...

Top Rated Comments

xpxp2002 Avatar
34 months ago
But does it work? It'd sure be interesting if it works even though it isn't supposed to.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kissmo1980 Avatar
34 months ago
Coming Soon - Stage Manager for older iPads Pro gets qualified as a bug
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stiss Avatar
34 months ago
“That’s not a feature, it’s a bug.”
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kiensoy Avatar
34 months ago
Who says Apple doesn’t bring new features to older devices? Oh wait…
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MDDUCKMAN Avatar
34 months ago
Well, that didn't last long!! lol
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
supergt Avatar
34 months ago
A bug? Apple trolling big time.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)