Amazing iOS 27 Feature Fulfills My Inner Audiophile – Apple says it will finally include a custom EQ for AirPods later this year with iOS 27, after I’ve been complaining about this missing feature for over ten years in review after review.
CUPERTINO—During the WWDC presentation, I literally lifted my arms from my seat and cheered like I had just scored a field goal when Apple revealed that iOS 27 will include a user-adjustable equalization (EQ) for AirPods. I think I let out an embarrassing “whoooooooo!!!” a bit too loudly. This is the reason.
I consider myself to be an audiophile. Since my early adolescence, when CDs were first introduced and many households had a hi-fi system set aside for music, I have valued high-quality sound. I’ve learned to value adjusting any speakers or headphones to my desired EQ curve over the years. You can accomplish that with a lot of the top headphones available today. Consider the Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-canceling headphones, which are among the top models we’ve evaluated over the past 12 months. It has an excellent EQ in its companion app. This enables me to customize the headphones to my preferred sound.
This isn’t what the AirPods do. Well, not just yet.
Rather, you have access to a vast array of Apple-tuned EQ presets, such as Pop, Latin, and Dance. Although the sound is noticeably altered by these EQs, none of them are to my taste. The Rock setting sounds the closest, so that’s the best I can do. You’ve probably heard me and other reviewers bemoan this lack of user customization if you’ve read any of our reviews of Apple AirPods on PCMag. The fact that so many earphones under $100 have this feature but the $549 AirPods Max do not exacerbates the situation.
When iOS 27 launches in the autumn (probably in September), everything will be different.In a statement sent to PCMag, Apple stated, “A customizable EQ is coming to AirPods Max 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4 to offer even more personalization.” In iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27, users can immediately modify a three-band (low, mid, and high) equalization from AirPods Settings, along with an interactive preview of the audio adjustments. It’s simple to swap back and forth between the default AirPods sound tuning and a custom EQ.
Alright, so there is a tiny disclaimer. With just three bands, the user-adjustable EQ offers nearly the least amount of adjustment (two would be the minimum). I’ll accept it for the time being even if I wish it offered more bands. There is more flexibility available with other headphones we’ve evaluated because they offer five to ten bands.
My ears are eager.
Additionally, GymKit and the AirPods Pro 3 will be able to connect workouts, according to Apple. This is because the GymKit tool for developers has more features. It enables you to join your iPhone with cardio equipment, such as a step machine or treadmill, and sync heart rate data between the two devices. To get this to market, Apple claims to be collaborating with a few manufacturers of cardio equipment, including Johnson, Life Fitness, Precor, Schwinn, Technogym, and Woodway. A more apparent method of tracking your heart rate while working out may be possible if the data is synchronized with the machine.
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