- A new app called LibrePods lets you use AirPods’ exclusive features on Android
- It’s free for all users and unlocks features like wear detection, head tracking, and more.
- Here’s everything you need to know about this app.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are often acclaimed as the best wireless earbuds, especially for their noise cancellation capabilities and ecosystem. However, breaking out of Apple’s walled garden can be challenging, as most features are exclusive to its own devices. Thankfully, a new app can now unlock AirPods Pro features on Android if you have been waiting to switch to team green.
This App Lets You Use AirPods’ Exclusive Features On Android
LibrePods is an app that allows you to access all the features of AirPods Pro on Android. Apple has reserved the best of AirPods Pro for its own device in the guise of privacy and to create its own ecosystem.
The app unlocks the following features on Android:
- ANC Modes : Switch between transparency, adaptive, and noise cancellation
- Conversational Awareness: Automatically lowers the volume when someone is speaking
- Ear Detection: Plays/pauses the media when you remove or insert your AirPods
- Head gesture: Pick up calls by nodding your head
- Battery Status: Check the exact remaining battery of your AirPods as well as the case
- Rename AirPods : You can change the name of your AirPods just like on iOS
- Customize Gestures: Tweak the long-press actions
- Multi-Point Connectivity: Use your AirPods with 2 devices at the same time.
- Hearing Aid: Let’s you use your AirPods Pro as a hearing aid
The best part is that the app is completely free to use, so you don’t need to pay anything. What’s the catch then? It’s not officially available on the Play Store, and you need to root your device to take advantage of all features.
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- How to Setup and Use Head Gestures on AirPods
If you use a OnePlus or Oppo phone running OxygenOS/ColorOS, then you won’t need to root your device. Although certain features, such as hearing aid, customizing transparency mode, and multipoint connectivity, will still need root.
As far as compatibility is concerned, all features are unlocked for AirPods Pro 2nd Gen users, and the same goes for 3rd Gen AirPods Pro, except for heart rate monitoring. And if you are one of those rare folks who bought AirPods Max, then don’t worry, as they are fully supported as well.
The developer claims that most features work on any AirPods. This means you can expect basics like battery status and ear detection to work regardless of your model. A Linux version is also under development, so you can make the most of your AirPods Pro without needing a Mac.
- Apple is skipping the standard iPhone 18 model in 2026, it seems.
- The lineup makes room for the first foldable iPhone, launching that year.
- The regular iPhone 18 will arrive later in 2027 alongside more models.
Apple has always taken a different approach with the launch of its iPhones. The company often showcases its thinking and innovation in unique ways, even if it doesn’t always arrive exactly as planned. Over the years, the base iPhone models have remained popular thanks to their affordability, making them a go-to choice for many users. But now, Apple is looking ready to bring a change with a major shift in its lineup.
According to ET News , Apple won’t be launching the standard iPhone 18 model in 2026. Instead, that space in the lineup will be taken by Apple’s first-ever foldable iPhone . The regular iPhone 18 is now expected to arrive later in 2027 as part of a reshuffled release strategy.
Why Apple is Replacing the Base iPhone
Apple will bring the base model back in the first half of 2027 . Apple’s decision to replace the base iPhone with a foldable is actually not just an experiment; it’s their strategy. Over the years, the base iPhone models have seen slower adoption compared to the Pro lineup, with many users preferring the higher-end features.
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By shifting focus, Apple is aiming to attract more interest toward premium devices while opening up an entirely new product category with the foldable iPhone. This would also help Apple stand out in a crowded smartphone market, where new features usually feel like small upgrades.
What This Means for the iPhone 18 Lineup
With the foldable expected to replace the standard base iPhone, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 lineup could look very different. Instead of the usual four models, we may see three traditional flagships, likely 18 Air, 18 Pro, and 18 Pro Max, alongside the new foldable.
This would be one of the biggest changes in Apple’s lineup in years, moving the starting point of iPhones to a higher tier and making the foldable a new kind of “flagship.” I think that Apple wants to guide users toward more premium models while slowly phasing out the affordable base version.
That’s it, peeps! Stay tuned for more updates like this in the future.
