Like every other popular product, Airpods are also being targeted for replication. No doubt, millions of people have fallen prey to such fraudulent companies. You may think you got the original, best-quality Airpods unless a major flaw tells you it’s the fake AirPods Pro.
I bought myself a headset the other day, and trust me, I was blown away by the technical smartness of these innovative companies. The differences were hardly noticeable. But the fact that I’ve used original ones for a long time gave me an edge, and I immediately realized I got scammed.
Fake vs. Real Airpods Pro
The burden of authenticity falls on the buyer. Pay close attention to the undermentioned details to differentiate AirPods pro real vs. fake. There should be no doubt regarding the credibility of the tips given below, as they are conveyed by someone who has been scammed.
1. Dull Colour On The Box
The first thing to notice is the box which is probably identical to the original AirPods Pro box. All the pictures and texts on the Airpods Pro box should be clear and sharp. The fake ones often use cheap printing so their box is lighter and washed-out grey.
2. Wrong User Manual
The easy sign to identify the duplicate Airpods Pro is the manual. After you have opened the box, check the user manual. Some fakes have the wrong manual and others may have one that doesn’t look authentic. Apple doesn’t make mistakes in its manual. So, be careful.
3. Missing Information On The Charging Case
On the back side of the case, look for a small grey text that says, “Designed by Apple in California” and “Assembled in China” or “Assembled in Vietnam” below. Some fraudsters don’t give complete details and some don’t have any text at all.
4. No Wireless Charging
Here comes one of the features that are easy to identify on the spot. Most Apple Airpods Pro has a wireless charging facility designed for the case but the spam doesn’t support this feature. So you can easily choose the right one.
5. Missing Serial Numbers
Another noticeable point is that the charging case has the serial number and information coded inside the lid. Moreover, on the Airpods, you should see the same serial number printed below both Earbuds. But the scammers don’t encode such details.
Note: Make sure that the serial number inside the case matches the one found in the box.
6. Different designs Details On The Earbuds
There are some sore points on the actual earbuds that will point you to a fake immediately. On the bottom of the buds, there should have white plastic while often the duplicate has a silver bottom. By this, you can easily identify the real one.
The earcup should be oval but on many fakes this part is circular. Moreover, on the back of the Earbuds is a mesh oval that acts as an air vent. But, the counterfeit AirPods have a solid black covering or sticker.
7. No Noise Cancelling Feature
After you have paired your Airpods, you should check a noise cancelling feature. Most fake Airpods don’t have this feature but you can turn it On on your Apple device by following these steps.
- Set your Airpods pro On.
- Open your device control centre.
- Keep your fingers down on the volume slider until the additional controls appear.
- Click the icon in the lower left corner for Noise Cancellation.
- Select the option you want.
If you don’t have the noise cancellation and options to change transparency modes, you are using duplicate Airpods.
8. Tapping vs Squeezing to Skip
On the original Airpods Pro, you have to squeeze the arm of the buds to skip songs. In contrast to the scams, you need to tap on the black oval on the back of the buds.
With this feature, you can differentiate between fake and real. As it is convenient to use in stores. That’s why it is also considered an important feature too.
9. Short Battery Life
Fully charged Airpods Pro gives you up to 4.5 hours of listening time and 3.5 hours of talk time. Moreover, you get one hour of listening or talk time after 5 minutes of charging.
Counterfeit Airpods don’t have this much battery time even though they are brand new. Whether you use it for a longer time or not, it shows less charging. So, if you were stuck on the question “how to tell if AirPods are fake?” Battery timing gives you the answer.
Are Fake Airpods Pro Worth It?
The quality of the fake Airpods Pro depends upon their prices for as low as 20$. The low price itself tells that they are fake. Many websites offer discounted prices but lack some features that you get from genuine Airpods such as:
- Wireless charging
- Noise cancellation
- Long battery life
- High audio quality
- Comfortable design
Paying high dollars for Airpods Pro but getting the fake ones is a waste of money. You are paying for the quality and features so it’s not worth it if you end up with cheap knock-offs. All you have to do is be cautious of such imposters and you’ll know how to tell if AirPods pro is fake.
Where to Buy Fake Airpods Pro?
Some brands offer affordable Airpods that do a pretty good job but sadly, you have to sacrifice some features and quality. You may find different quality earbuds online (like Amazon) as they mimic the design and shape of real Airpods. These websites also offer many discounts by making them affordable for people to buy.
Where to Buy Authentic Airpods?
If you don’t want to risk ending up with duplicate Airpods Pro, then you should buy them from authorized websites or stores such as:
- Apple
- Apple’s Amazon store
- Best Buy
- Target
Conclusion
This post highlighted the signs that differentiate the real and fake Airpods Pro that will help you buy an authentic one. The fake ones lack features like having a low charging life. Additionally, they don’t have a serial number on the box.
Real Apple Airpods Pro offers you all the enjoyable features during a boring routine. The lack of features and low quality always frustrate you. Hopefully, the signs mentioned above will help you to restrain scammers.
