AirBuddy brings proper AirPods support to the Mac

If you’ve ever used Apple’s AirPods alongside your iPhone or iPad before, in addition to thence yous already know nigh the seamless pairing experience that’s made possible past times the Apple-exclusive W1 chip. Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t polished this experience on macOS only yet, in addition to the AirPods experience on the Mac feels the same equally whatever other Bluetooth-enabled device.

To enjoin Apple left Mac users hanging inwards this abide by would endure an understatement, but third-party app developers receive got taken detect of this macOS-centric niche in addition to immediately look to endure coming to our rescue.

Enter AirBuddy, a novel app past times software developer Guilherme Rambo that aspires to port the breathtaking AirPods paring experience that tin flame endure had on iOS devices to the humble Mac.

How it works

Upon launching AirBuddy for the outset time, yous are prompted alongside the next pop-up where yous tin flame select what device(s) the app volition support. You could select to alone role the app alongside your AirPods, or yous could also enable back upwardly for other W1-enabled devices such equally Beats headphones:

You tin flame also select where on the display the AirPods interaction pop-up appears on – left, center, or right. Upon opening your AirPods example side past times side to your Mac, you’ll come across the next pop-up alongside data concerning your AirPods example in addition to the AirPods themselves:

As yous mightiness receive got noticed, the interface is slightly dissimilar from the 1 you’d come across on your iPhone or iPad because it includes a characteristic called ‘Click to connect.’ This makes connecting to your AirPods much easier, equally yous no longer demand to navigate the Bluetooth settings inwards the Mac’s Menu Bar to exercise so.

Another perk to the AirBuddy app is that it supports a Notification Center widget that displays the battery score of all supported peripherals:

The main indicator inwards the AirBuddy widget displays the
battery score of your Mac; other indicators include nearby iOS devices, your
AirPods, your AirPods case, in addition to whatever supported Beats headphones that mightiness in
range.

What yous demand to know

AirBuddy requires macOS Mojave 10.14 or afterwards in addition to necessitates a Mac that supports Bluetooth LE. As the developer explains, whatever Mac that supports Handoff or Apple Watch unlock in addition to similar features supports Bluetooth LE; if your Mac doesn’t back upwardly these features, in addition to thence you’re in all likelihood out of luck.

AirBuddy does non back upwardly Apple Watch, Apple Pencil, or Apple TV remote in addition to other similar devices. As the fourth dimension of this writing, it alone supports iOS devices that receive got been connected via Bluetooth to your Mac at to the lowest degree once, AirPods, AirPods case, in addition to other W1-enabled devices such equally Beats headphones.

Another affair worth noting is that after you’ve installed AirBuddy, the app checks for updates automatically in addition to displays an warning when 1 is available. Citing the developer’s Twitter account, hereafter updates are already planned alongside the next improvements beingness considered for production:

– Show condition for Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, etc.

– Offer a less-intrusive version of the condition window equally an alternative

– Show a notification when a nearby device is running out of battery

– Offer a manual vogue to exhibit the condition window when needed, also the automatic heuristics-based approach that’s currently implemented

– Show battery for Apple Watch in addition to Apple TV remote

Lastly, the developer notes that he can’t render full-blown
support for the app because it was nix to a greater extent than than side-project that he created
for himself in addition to and thence decided to liberate afterwards downwardly the line. Tread carefully if
this is a work for you, otherwise, yous tin flame in all likelihood inquire the developer for a
refund if something isn’t working properly in addition to he’ll comply.

Where to choke AirBuddy

AirBuddy is a paid app that tin flame endure had from the developer’s website for $5.00+. The website volition inquire for an total of $5.00 or more, in addition to you’re costless to travel into to a greater extent than than $5.00 if yous experience the app is worth to a greater extent than than that.

Conclusion

We tested AirBuddy for ourselves prior to writing this piece, in addition to it feels similar a well-polished slice of software. If you’ve e'er wanted amend AirPods back upwardly on your Mac, in addition to thence this is a groovy house to start equally yous await for Apple to officially exercise your bidding.

What are your thoughts nigh the AirBuddy software? Let us
know inwards the comments department below.

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