6 New AirPods Pro Features Coming in iOS 17

When iOS 17 arrives next month, it won't just add new features to your iPhone – it also promises to bring several new functions to second-generation AirPods Pro.

6 New AirPods Pro Features Coming in iOS 17 alt
Below are six improvements to AirPods Pro 2 that owners can look forward to when Apple's new mobile operating system is officially launched.

Adaptive Audio

When the second-generation AirPods Pro were introduced, their Adaptive Transparency feature offered a new way to reduce loud environmental noise for more comfortable everyday listening.

airpods pro 2 ios 17
Adaptive Audio, or Adaptive Noise Control, promises to take that approach to the next level by dynamically blending the existing Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation modes together to deliver the best audio experience in the moment. Apple says that it can tailor the noise control as you move between different environments and interactions.

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This way, loud or distracting noises surrounding you will be automatically reduced, while other noises will still be audible. Apple gave the example of leaf blowers getting reduced but sudden traffic noises coming through on the user's AirPods.

Conversation Awareness

Conversation Awareness is able to detect when someone starts talking to you, and will lower the volume of the audio you're listening to and cut down on background noise accordingly.

airpods pro conversation boost
Conversation Awareness helps when you're on a call as well, reducing noise around you while you speak. As a sub-component of Adaptive Audio, this feature also enhances the voices in front of you so you can hear what's going on.

Personalized Volume

Similar to Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume uses machine learning to fine-tune your listening experience by understanding environmental conditions and listening preferences.

airpods pro person
Thanks to this feature, your ‌‌iPhone‌‌ is able to learn more about the volume that you prefer over time, and will tweak it as necessary to match your desired sound level.

Mute Controls

Perhaps surprisingly, AirPods Pro do not currently have an assignable on-board mute function. With iOS 17, however, that's set to change. If you press the stem of your ‌AirPods Pro‌ earbuds, you will be able to mute and unmute yourself while you're on a call.

airpods pro 2 mute
First-generation AirPods and third-generation AirPods also support this feature, and it also works on AirPods Max headphones if you press the Digital Crown.

Fast Automatic Device Switching

AirPods have been criticized in the past for sluggish performance when attempting to automatically switch between Apple devices. Fortunately, ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 will automatically switch between Apple devices much quicker in ‌iOS 17‌.

Hey Siri

This fall, Apple is simplifying the voice command to invoke Siri on the ‌iPhone‌ and other Apple devices, including the iPad, Mac, HomePod, and the second-generation AirPods Pro.

Hey Siri vs Siri
Instead of "Hey ‌Siri‌," you'll be able to simply say "‌Siri‌" to activate the voice assistant when wearing your AirPods. Not only that, you'll also be able to issue multiple queries and commands in succession without having to say "‌Siri‌" again.

Read More

Apple is expected to release iOS 17 alongside firmware updates for AirPods in September 2023. For more information on all the new features in the ‌iOS 17‌ update, be sure to check out our dedicated iOS 17 roundup.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forums: AirPods, iOS 17, iPadOS 17

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Top Rated Comments

brunosh Avatar
27 months ago
Very clever what you did with the “6”
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
27 months ago
We need AirPods in new colors. Preferably Midnight or Product Red, please.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iFishishh Avatar
27 months ago
Siri has been on strike and hasn’t been able to answer basic questions nor perform simple tasks for a few years now. Now she wants us to address her without the “hey” I’m hoping Siri gets an update
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
27 months ago
AirPods are pure Apple, reminiscent of the Steve Jobs era. Incredibly simple looking devices, that are incredibly complex behind their beautiful industrial design. Steve's maxims "Surprise and delight" and "it just works" are fully present in AirPods and they just keep getting better. They're insanely great.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Monque Avatar
27 months ago
Looking forward to all of these features, except maybe the elimination of "Hey" - I've seen Siri unintentionally activate many times even when "Hey Siri" was the required phrase.
Examples:
"Hey Sweetie!"
The radio: "In other news toDAY, SYRIa was"
"Are you serious?"

I expect shortening the trigger phrase to just "Siri" will produce many more accidental activations.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sjsharksfan12 Avatar
27 months ago

We need AirPods in new colors. Preferably Midnight or Product Red, please.
Why haven’t they done more variety of colors for the AirPods. It’s always been white, yet I can see many jumping at the opportunity to get a different color AirPod, asthetically of course.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)