AirPods Pro 2 Charging Case Can Broadcast Battery Status With or Without AirPods Inside

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are now in the hands of customers, and one notable new tidbit that has come to light is that the MagSafe Charging Case can broadcast its charging status to the iOS Battery widget even when the AirPods are in your ears.

airpods 2 batteries widget
With other AirPods models, including the first-generation AirPods Pro, users have to place the earbuds in the Charging Case to get a reading of the battery status of the case itself. With AirPods Pro 2, the Battery widget will now show you the status of both the Charging Case and the AirPods, regardless of whether the earbuds are in the case.

The AirPods Pro 2 case includes a built-in U1 chip that enables Find My with Precision Finding so that it can be exactly located. It seems likely therefore that the U1 chip is enabling the Charging Case to broadcast its battery status over high-frequency Ultra Wideband, rather than having to rely on a Bluetooth connection via the AirPods.

Priced at $249, AirPods Pro 2 are available to order from Apple's website and to pick up at Apple Stores. Are you a new owner of AirPods Pro 2? Let us know what your initial impressions are in the comments.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Top Rated Comments

UltimateSyn Avatar
34 months ago
Finally! That's awesome.


Why didn't they advertise this during the Apple Event?
Because it would just make people think "Wait, why didn't it do that before?"
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
34 months ago
Very nice little touch
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
34 months ago

I’m confused, I have 1st gen APP and on the widget in iOS 14.8 it shows the battery of both the AirPods and MagSafe case when the AirPods are in my ears. ?


Since the AirPods in your screenshot are at 100%, you probably just took them out of the case. The brief moment they were open, they sent the battery status of the case to your iPhone. It stays there for a little bit, but after keeping the AirPods in your ears for about a minute the case charging status disappears.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spaceboi Scaphandre Avatar
34 months ago
Why didn't they advertise this during the Apple Event?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eldaerenth Faexidor Avatar
34 months ago
Great stuff this. I have the APP2 in my ears for 5 hours straight now and they are definitely more comfortable than the APP. Spatial audio is so nice in combinatie with ATV4K. I absolutely love them!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unregistered 4U Avatar
34 months ago
Thomas, post: 31540568, member: 1021539"]
Yes, the battery indicator as a whole is a joke... can't even display the charge of your other Apple devices, let alone any 3rd party accessories or electric cars...
Does your car show the charge of your devices?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)