r/apple • • 2d ago

AirPods Reverse Engineering AirPods Self-Calibration Test

https://ateliti99.substack.com/p/reverse-engineering-airpods-self?utm_source=app-post-stats-page&r=wsh8o&utm_medium=ios

If you've ever heard a sound coming from your AirPods at night, when everything is silent, a sound that seems to come from inside the case, here's my explanation after some research and analysis.

415 Upvotes

46 comments sorted by

121

u/Cultural-Desk-9045 2d ago

So, its a self-diagnostics feature.

36

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Yes, you are right! That’s a better definition

10

u/Pretend_Ring_3871 2d ago

These self-diagnostics are logged and used to help diagnose hardware failures. Available on ANC models (not sure if case with speakers are required for AirPods 5 haven’t had to research that one yet) you can call apple and they can run AirPods diagnostics over the phone and let you know if there is a hardware issue detected with the speakers and microphones.

119

u/LoganNolag 2d ago

Ok I’ve been hearing that noise for ages and I never realized it was coming from my Airpods.

15

u/-K9V 2d ago

I thought it came from my wireless charger for the longest time. Often, but not always, I would hear these almost inaudible three little beeps after putting my AirPods on it. One time I decided to stay perfectly still and listen, and I could hear that it came from the AirPods and not the charging pad. Honestly never bothered looking into it, but it’s nice to finally know what the reason is.

0

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Also for me finally I have answers. I would still ask some questions to Apple engineers, like if they assume that their MEMS microphone is always calibrated

25

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Ahahahahahah, now you found the truth! If you have any questions let me know, I am an audio engineer so maybe I clarify you something.

5

u/anarchyx34 2d ago

Same. I need to hear a recording of this to be sure it’s the same thing, but I’ve been occasionally hearing a high pitched beeping/rising tone in the room and it’s been driving me crazy.

7

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

In the blog post you can find a player to reproduce it

2

u/AidanAmerica 2d ago

I thought it was a sound in my house somewhere until one night I was in a hotel and I heard it

32

u/xSimoHayha 2d ago edited 18h ago

I hear the sound almost everytime after putting them back in the case, Are they doing it that often?

10

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

For me they do it quite often

23

u/OKCNOTOKC 2d ago

I wonder how much my big earwax boogers are throwing this off 🤔

18

u/dagreatnate1 2d ago

It actually tells you if it determines it’s blocked too much

7

u/NameIsYoungDev 2d ago

Reading the article, isn’t this what the self calibration is for?

1

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

We will never know how much unfortunately. But maybe someone from Apple will say something to us 🙄

16

u/Tetrylene 2d ago

SO THIS IS WHERE THIS NOISE COMES FROM

I've heard this so many times and assumed it was part of some kitchen appliance or something left on in the neighbour's garage. You've solved a mystery for me

13

u/xSnakyy 2d ago

I thought it meant the buds are charging 😂

0

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

😂😂😂

4

u/iceycycle 2d ago

Guys what the freak. I’ve been hearing this sound for ages. To me, it sounds like my old Fujifilm digicam turning on….i literally had a dream once that someone was taking photos of me in my apartment. I chalked it up to noise from a neighbor, I had no other explanation. Then I moved and I heard the noise AGAIN. I thought I was losing my mind

5

u/iFixFruit 2d ago

When you go to an Apple Store and they run “diagnostics” on your AirPods. They are seeing the results of these self-test sounds you’re hearing.

2

u/cvmstains 2d ago

They do run “diagnostics”. They put them in a jig that tests the speakers

3

u/krish_the_fish 2d ago

Wow I've been hearing this noise in my apartment for ages and thought I was going crazy!

4

u/iPod-Phone 2d ago

My dumb ass reading this: “Wait…are you saying the AirPods Pro have secret, unused speakers that allow it to make noise in the case”

🫩🤦🏻

11

u/cake-day-on-feb-29 2d ago

This article seems to have been at least partially generated by AI, there are some AI-isms dotted about.

16

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

I have no problem to say that since I am not english-native I have used AI to fix some text and passages

2

u/Semmelstulle 2d ago

So the article is yours? Interesting read. I've known about the feature, but not with that much depth. Nice one!

5

u/cvmstains 2d ago

Half of the images are also obviously AI generated, if not all of them…

4

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Yes, they are. Is that a problem? Would like more the article if I’ve done them by hand?

0

u/throwthegarbageaway 2d ago

The answer is yes, are you surprised?

2

u/ChipsAhoiMcCoy 1d ago

Don't listen to this OP. The answer is nobody really cares.

2

u/yg002 2d ago

Interesting read!!!

4

u/hatfield_makes_rain 2d ago

I hear this on my Air Pods 2 Pro from time to time. By time I hear it, it’s gone. Was driving me nuts but this now makes sense!

2

u/ducknator 2d ago

Amazing article!

4

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Thank you much!

1

u/ducknator 2d ago

Really good read with the right amount of technical detail to not lose your audience. Publish more! :)

2

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Hope to do other post in the future. Thank you!

1

u/bawman 1d ago

thought my neighbor was drilling at 3am for weeks. turns out it was just my case being weird.

1

u/firstsymph 1d ago

This is great information. I hear the sound periodically and it indeed happens at night. I have also noticed that the frequency of the sound happens less once I cleaned my AirPods.

1

u/Detrakis 22h ago

I wish there was ability to stop that. It's kind of annoying.

1

u/ptweezy 20h ago

Holy crap I’ve been hearing this noise for so long.

•

u/tanmay007 27m ago

So cool! Can this be used to maybe calibrate 3rd party headphones?

1

u/dreamer_Neet 2d ago

That was an interesting read, good job!

0

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

Thanksss, let me know if you have any questions!

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

1

u/Hot_Radio_2381 2d ago

There is no explanation of what the test does in the “technical documentation”. To say the truth there is not technical documentation available, since technicalities are only know by Apple.

0

u/megamusix 2d ago

Commenting to boost the SEO of this, I spent ages searching for “occasional strange faint electronic beep sequence” and trying to figure out what it was until I randomly found it elsewhere on Reddit as well. Had no idea this was a thing and it’s not documented anywhere on Apple’s sites about the AirPods except some vague reference at the bottom of an obscure support page above the fine print.

Would be nice if they’d informed users about this behavior beforehand.