What you need to know
- Apple's AirPods batteries don't last forever, but one company is offering a cheaper way to fix that than buying new earbuds.
- Podswap will exchange your old and busted AirPods for a refurbished pair for $70.
Apple's AirPods are pretty great, but it's a well-known issue that their super-small batteries don't last forever. Getting the claimed five hours of listening time out of a pair is fine when they're new — but when they're old? Not so much. But Podswap has the answer.
The reason AirPods batteries need replacing is simple — they're small, and even the best batteries don't last forever. The more you use and then re-charge your AirPods, the more you're killing the batteries. Eventually, they won't be able to charge as fully as they used to and that's when Apple will charge your $49 per earbud to get your battery life back. Note that AirPods can't have their batteries replaced, even by Apple.
Podswap has a better idea. For $70, the company sends you a new pair of refurbished AirPods out. Just the AirPods, that is — you don't need to send your Charging Case. When your near AirPods arrive, you send your old ones back in. And that's it, you're done.
Podswap gives you a 90-day warranty on your new AirPods and both first and second-generation versions are supported. Pretty sweet, right?
You can learn more, and get the swap-out process started, over on the Podswap website now.
Don't yet have any AirPods to call your own? Check out our list of the best AirPods deals we could find before making any buying decisions.
