This app could bring better AirPods support to all Android phones, but Goog

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Credit: Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority


TL;DR

• A significant bug in the Android Bluetooth stack hasn’t been fixed since October 2024.
• This bug is the reason why the LibrePods app requires a rooted Android device.
• LibrePods brings features like ANC controls, ear detection, and more to AirPods on Android.

An enterprising developer recently released an app called LibrePods, which enables a more feature-rich AirPods experience on Android. The app currently requires root access, and it turns out that a long-standing Android Bluetooth bug is the reason for this requirement.

LibrePods developer Kavish Devar posted a bug report on Google’s Issue Tracker back on October 6, 2024 (h/t: Hacker News), noting the specific code that’s standing in the way of root-free AirPods support. Over 9,100 votes have been cast on the issue, but the bug’s status has been marked as “assigned” by Google ever since then.




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