Apple accused of misleading consumers over AirPods Pro 'audio defect'

Class-action lawsuit complains of "false and misleading advertising" following reports of crackling issue.

- DAVID PRICE

A class-action lawsuit filed this month accuses Apple of misleading AirPods Pro customers and failing adequately to address an audio defect reported shortly after the product's launch in 2019.

The suit (via ClassAction.org, fave.co/4eOroKN) focuses on two seemingly widespread problems with the 1st-gen AirPods Pro: unwanted crackling sounds, and the failure of Active Noise Cancellation to work correctly. These issues were publicized within months of release, but it took Apple almost a year to address them with a service program (fave.co/4979Hoz) offering to replace units made before October 2020, free of charge.

Apple's own support document (fave.co/40WZusN) acknowledges that affected units could exhibit "crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise or while talking on the phone" and "Active Noise Cancellation not working as expected, such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds, such as street or airplane noise."