iOS 16.1 beta 3 adds adaptive transparency mode to first AirPods Pro

Apple brought its adaptive transparency mode to the original AirPods Pro with iOS 16.1 beta 3 after the handy feature debuted in the second generation model.

• What is happening? The third iOS 16.1 beta brought an adaptive transparency option to the first generation AirPods Pro.
• Why care? Because we thought this feature was exclusive to the AirPods Pro 2, the only Apple earbuds with the new H2 headphone chip at the moment.
• What to do? Wait until iOS 16.1 goes public in October. If it’s not a bug, you’ll get adaptive transparency mode on the first AirPods Pro.

AirPods Pro get adaptive transparency in iOS 16.1 beta 3

According to Reddit, people with iOS 16.1 beta 3 installed on their iPhone have noticed that an “Adaptive Transparency”toggle appears for their first generation AirPods Pro. Read: AirPods Pro 2 Tips – Touch Controls, Find My, and More

It only appears if the user’s iPhone is running iOS 16.1 beta 3 and their headphones are running beta firmware 5A304A. Keep in mind that this could very well be a software bug – Apple only recently introduced adaptive transparency in the second generation AirPods Pro.

Do original AirPods Pro support adaptive transparency?

The second-generation AirPods Pro are currently the only earbuds to feature Apple’s new H2 headphone chip, which is enough for us to speculate that adaptive transparency mode might require H2’s processing power.

If this is indeed the case, then this is a bug, and don’t expect the final version of iOS 16.1 to magically add adaptive transparency to the original AirPods Pro.

If not, this might come as a pleasant surprise to owners of the original AirPods Pro—it’s not every day that Apple adds new features to an accessory that’s no longer on sale.

What is adaptive transparency?

AirPods Pro and AirPods Max are the only models that support Transparent Noise Cancellation, which blends in any sounds from the world around you.

In this way, Transparency mode allows you to enjoy noise reduction while being clearly aware of your surroundings. With the second-generation AirPods Pro, Apple introduced an improved transparency mode dubbed Adaptive Transparency.

What this does is reduce loud environmental noise for even more enjoyment. For example, sounds such as the siren of a passing car, building instruments, or loudspeakers at a concert will be muted to protect your hearing.

iOS 16.1 will be released in October

iOS 16.1 is currently in its third beta, so there will be at least a couple more betas before the software update is ready for primetime release. Apple has promised to release iOS 16.1 sometime in October.

The company is expected to host another product event next month, so this update will almost certainly be released before the new hardware hits store shelves. The announcement of new Apple Silicon Macs and iPad Pro tablets is expected, and Apple has not yet released iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura.

What’s new in iOS 16.1?

We’ve rounded up all the changes in iOS 16.1 Beta 3.

The release will be heavily focused on fixing some pretty nasty bugs reported by iOS 16.0 users. In addition to bug fixes, new features will be added.

For example, the ability to edit the lock screen and home screen in Settings → Wallpaper, automatically preloading app content on boot so it’s ready for the first run, and more.

iOS 16.1 will also bring interactive actions to the lock screen and Dynamic Island. Meanwhile, iPadOS 16.1 will bring the controversial Stage Manager feature to older iPad models based on Apple’s A12X and A12Z chipsets.