I recently bought a pair of AirPods Pro second hand and have confirmed that they appear genuine, including matching serial numbers on the case, box, Settings, and Apple's coverage checker. However, they have several problems that may be connected. Switching between Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode makes no noticeable difference, the connection and mode-switching chimes are extremely loud even when the media volume is low, and the firmware is stuck on version 5B59. I have tried cleaning them, resetting them several times, and leaving them charging next to an iPhone with Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth enabled for more than 30 minutes and overnight. Could these symptoms point to a counterfeit pair, a hardware problem, or an issue preventing the firmware from updating?
1 Answer
The symptoms still make counterfeit earbuds worth considering. A serial number appearing in Apple’s coverage checker is not absolute proof, since counterfeiters sometimes copy valid serial numbers onto multiple sets. The lack of any difference between Noise Cancellation and Transparency, unusually loud system chimes, and firmware that never updates are all common warning signs. Check whether every feature works normally in Settings, including the correct model details, Ear Tip Fit Test, Spatial Audio, Find My integration, and the proper case and earbud battery information. If those features are missing or behave strangely, the hardware may not be genuine or may be defective.
The serial numbers on the case, box, and Settings all match, and the purchase receipt lines up with the coverage date, so I’m fairly confident they’re genuine. I’ll check the other features more carefully, though.