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Apple AirPods work with Android. Many consumers are under the impression that because Apple AirPods are made for the iPhone that they will not work with an Android phone. They work exceptionally well with the Android phones I tested as well as with a PC all via Bluetooth, without a hitch.
UPDATE: I just finished 7 Helpful Tips for Apple AirPods You Need To Know -- link at end of this post.
Tweet This: Apple AirPods work with Android. Some of you already knew that. But if you didn't, way cool!
Now, if you want all of the awesome features that Apple built into them specific for the iPhone, that’s not going to happen, at least not until more advanced Android apps are developed. At press time, there are a few that do mostly the same thing: Show you the battery levels and allow you to use double tap to summon the Google Assistant (I wonder what Siri would say).
Here’s what you do get -- great sound (now I know some audio types will say that Android drops some of the quality that Apple users get due to the AirPods being designed and optimized for Apple devices. I couldn’t hear much difference, but I’ll concede there could be quality loss).
Second feature: You get a much longer (better) Bluetooth range than many built-for-Android products. Apple does a lot of things right and, in this case, Android users benefit.
Third feature: My son has configured his AirPod Double Tap setting to move forward a track with the right side and double tap on the left moves back a track. When I connected them to Android, it worked in my music app and also worked on YouTube moving forward or backward in the playlist or even in the suggested videos. I have read that if you customize double tap to connect to Siri that it will connect to Google Assistant instead, but I'm doubtful. Two of the apps below should help with that.
Tweet This: You can get to Google Assistant with Apple AirPods on an Android smartphone.
AirBattery - I think this is one of the first apps to let you interact with the AirPods and see the battery levels for the left AirPod, right AirPod, and charging case (similar to the battery indicator on iPad, iPhone). It has some features with Spotify but I did not test them.
Podroid app and it worked great, sort of. In the Podroid settings, you have a simple button to select “Double Tap for Google Assistant” and that’s it. It definitely called up Google Assistant when I double-tapped. It allowed me to do a few basic things, like set an alarm or a timer. It got part way through letting me set up an appointment on Google Calendar, but failed when it asked me if I wanted to save the appointment (multiple attempts with changes in variables). It could have been my Samsung S7 or a variety of things specific to my setup, so I’d still recommend giving it a try as the ratings and reviews show that it works for many people with a variety of phones.
AssistantTrigger - like AirBattery this app lets you see the battery level. It lets you set up Google Assistant to work with a double tap.
Here’s what you do not get:
- No Siri, obviously.
- Solid customizing the double tap -- if you change it on an Apple device it seems to hold and work on Android (as I noted above).
- Auto pause when you take it out of your ear only works on iPhone. The upside to that was I could take one out and listen to my son talking to me while letting the music play in my other ear.
If you have been searching for wireless earbuds, the Apple AirPods are a serious contender for Android users. There are some limitations, but with just one of the apps above you can see your battery life and that’s one of the biggest perks. The AirPods are comfortable, elegant, with excellent sound, plus, “look Mom, no wires.”
Don't miss my 7 Really Helpful Tips for Apple AirPods You Need To Know.
