Apple opens AirPods to user tuning after seven years of locked audio

Apple announced customizable EQ for AirPods on 8 June 2026 as part of next-generation Apple Intelligence features. The capability ends the closed Adaptive EQ system introduced with AirPods Pro in October 2019, giving users manual control over frequency response for the first time. The shift signals Apple's expanding willingness to expose audio personalization to end users — a marked departure from its historically opaque algorithmic approach.