9to5Mac Columnist Presses Apple for a 'One AirPod Isn't Charging' Alert

The complaint, laid out by columnist Michael, centers on the charging case rather than the earbuds themselves. AirPods already trigger a prompt to charge when the user plugs in an iPhone, a reminder Apple added on the assumption that topping up both devices at once costs the user nothing. The columnist says that prompt has repeatedly saved him from unknowingly carrying dead AirPods.

The scenario he wants covered is different. According to the column, debris or an obstruction between the charging pins and an earbud can leave one AirPod unfilled with power while it sits in the case, so a user who pulls the pair out on a walk or a commute may find one bud dead. The writer describes this as a familiar problem for long-time AirPods owners.

The proposed fix, as described in the column, would use state already available to the system. If one AirPod is seated in the case and the other is not detected in the user's ear, the column argues, iOS could reasonably infer that the first earbud is in the case but not charging, and could then alert the user to reseat the AirPod or check the case for an obstruction. The writer calls this a simple remedy for a major annoyance and says it would be another example of Apple software quietly flagging a problem before it matters.

The column expresses hope that Apple will implement such a feature in a later iOS update. It offers no indication that Apple has plans to do so, and no Apple response to the idea is cited.

The piece also revisits the product's history and current features. AirPods demand, the columnist writes, was largely created by Apple's removal of the headphone jack from the iPhone ten years ago, and the earbuds now serve as hearing aids as well as audio devices, with best-in-class noise cancellation. He adds that each generation improves on the last, and notes that the latest-generation AirPods Pro 3 are currently on sale for $179.