A Vital iOS 16 Feature: Saving AirPods Batteries

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iOS 16 lock screen screenshot showing single iPod not chargingMy largest frustration with the AirPods Pro is their unreliability. Often I’ll reach for my AirPods only to find that one or both have been active in the case, not charging, and are now completely drained. However, thanks to the new battery widget in iOS 16, that’s been happening less often. Now when the batteries in my poorly-designed AirPods Pro headphones are refusing to charge, my iPhone will tell me that they’re draining for no reason!

Hey, it’s not a fix, but at least it lets me catch the problem.

A Better Lock Screen (And More!)

iOS 16 may actually be the most feature-packed version of iOS in some time. It’s the first in a while that really makes your iPhone feel fresh. It starts with the customizable lock screen, which you supports widgets and live notifications for tracking progress or game scores. In this case, those widgets allowed me to see when my headphones weren’t charging. Since upgrading to the iOS 16 beta, I haven’t had my AirPods Pro surprise me with a dead battery, as I’m always aware of when they’re draining instead of charging.

iOS 16 is full of other great updates. These include a new haptic keyboard option, editing and unsending iMessages, updates to the Mail app, new notifications, and much more. While it’s currently in beta, you won’t have to wait too much longer for it. iOS 16 should launch this September, likely alongside the announcement of the iPhone 14. You could also sign up for the public beta, but be warned, these betas often have bugs an issues. Using it on your main device would be foolish.

I just so happen to be a fool.