AirBuddy 2.5
AirBuddy is made by developer Guilherme Rambo, who used to be quite busy spreading rumors. Since it was revealed that he would have paid $500 for a scope, he has shifted his work more towards his self-developed software. AirBuddy is the best known of these. This makes it easier to connect your AirPods and Beats headphones to your Mac. We previously wrote about the release of AirBuddy 2.0 and the app has now reached version 2.5, which includes support for other headphones.
The biggest improvement, however, is the support for Shortcuts. Several actions are available, so that you can view, for example, the battery level, the device status, the list of devices and the firmware version of your earphones or headphones. You can then come up with actions yourself, such as getting a notification when the battery level falls below a certain value. A dedicated support page explains how it works. Examples are, for example, the aforementioned checking of the battery level, checking the firmware and video calling with the AirPods. For example, the latter shortcut checks for a calendar event in the next 30 minutes that contains a video call URL. The shortcut then connects to the AirPods, turns on the microphone for the chosen video conferencing software, and opens the appropriate URL in Chrome or Safari. You can set this yourself.
Shortcuts integration! Use actions from AirBuddy in the Shortcuts app to connect and disconnect headsets, change settings, gather information about your devices, and even check if there are any firmware updates available for your AirPods. pic.twitter.com/cZEl60p6lU
— AirBuddy (@airbuddyapp) January 18, 2022
Improved Magic Handoff
AirBuddy 2 already got the new Magic Handoff feature, but that has now been expanded. Magic Handoff makes it easy to move a Magic Mouse, Keyboard, or Trackpad from one Mac to another. AirBuddy 2.5 uses a new protocol, which makes it more reliable. You can also wake the other Mac if you move the accessory to the other Mac. In anticipation of Apple's Universal Control, which doesn't seem to be in the starting blocks just yet, this could be a solution if you want to use your peripherals with multiple Macs.
The Proximity Engine 2 allows AirBuddy to respond to nearby AirPods and update their information faster. This will be available to users of macOS Monterey 2.5 with the option to activate it in earlier macOS versions as well.
AirBuddy also for other brands
It is also important to note that Headphones from other brands such as Sony are now AirBuddy compatible, so you are no longer tied to Apple and Beats products. Because there is no Apple W1 or H1 chip, you do miss some functions, such as fast connection and low battery warnings. There are also new themes for widgets, an updated design for the settings and the necessary bug fixes.
Current users can update to AirBuddy 2.5 for free. New users purchase a license for $10 through the developer's website. You need macOS Mojave 10.14.6 or later.