Lil Katz / Android Authority
TL;DR
- An Android app now allows you to explore AirPods features that were previously limited to iOS or macOS devices.
- These include ANC controls, auto play-pause, battery status, head gesture detection, and more.
- The app also unlocks accessibility settings, such as transparency mode customization and the ability to use your AirPods as hearing aids.
- The only caveat here is that you cannot use the features without rooting your phone.
Apple has always used a pretext of privacy to keep its devices exclusive and limited to its ecosystem. The same issue occurs with AirPods, which, despite using Bluetooth as the medium, lack basic app controls when connected to a non-Apple device, resulting in a severely limited experience. Thankfully, there’s an app that addresses the limitations when AirPods are paired to Android devices.
While apps, such as OpenPods, already let you leverage some of the features, this newer app takes it several notches higher. LibrePods, by developer Kavish Devar, is an app that enables you to utilize full AirPods functionality when connected to an Android device. Although these features are primarily limited to Apple devices, you can unlock options related to noise cancellation, automatic play-pause, battery status, and more on Android and Linux using LibrePods.
More specifically, the app lets you control the following features:
- Noise control: Lets you switch among Noise Cancellation, Adaptive, and Transparency modes.
- Conversational Awareness: Lowers the audio’s volume when it detects you speaking.
- Ear Detection: Automatically plays or pauses media when you place the AirPods in your ears or remove them.
- Head gestures support: Lets you pick up calls hands-free by nodding your head.
- Battery status: Reveals the exact battery percentages of the case and each of the AirPods
Besides the features, the app allows you to change settings, such as customizing the name of your AirPods or the controls for long-press gestures.
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Besides these immediately available options, LibrePods also has a set of hidden features. These include the option to customize audio transparency, support for multiple devices, and the ability to use AirPods as hearing aids.
For these features to work, you must enable a setting called “Act as an Apple device,” making your AirPods believe they are actually connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
While the app expands AirPods connectivity options to Android devices, there is a critical requirement you can’t overlook. Your phone must be rooted, and the developer recommends using the Xposed framework to enable this feature. Without your Android device being rooted, you will not be able to access the features, except for OPPO and OnePlus, which may allow some basic functionality without rooting.
With LibrePods, you can configure controls on AirPods Pro Gen 2 and Gen 3, while the other models should support basic functionality, including battery status. You can view more details about the project on its GitHub page or download the APK file directly from this link.
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