iOS 16 will help you identify counterfeit AirPods

With the launch of iOS 16, users will be able to identify counterfeit sets of AirPods and AirPods Pro, helping solve a rampant issue on the secondhand market.

We've written copiously about the ongoing issue of counterfeit AirPods. Knockoff version of AirPods and AirPods Pro is prevalent on secondhand market sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.

Counterfeiters have managed to clone nearly every aspect of the AirPods experience, from the packaging and hardware to the pairing process, making it hard for would-be buyers to know whether a set of prospective earbuds are genuine or not. Even the serial numbers on fake sets can show on Apple's site.

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Our general recommendation is to buy solely from authorized Apple resellers or Apple itself but that hasn't stopped users looking to score a good deal.

As first spotted by 9to5Mac, in iOS 16, when you attempt to pair a set of counterfeit AirPods or AirPods Pro, an alert will appear that lets you know that Apple was unable to verify the buds as legitimate. This will help anyone buying a set of AirPods if they are able to test them on their iPhone before paying.

If you are in the market for AirPods or AirPods Pro, check out our price guide for the best sale prices on new models from official resellers without worry.

2 Comments

KBuffett 8 Years · 101 comments

About 2 years ago

How do counterfeiters get the serial numbers to match on Apple’s site?

FileMakerFeller 6 Years · 1561 comments

KBuffett said:

How do counterfeiters get the serial numbers to match on Apple’s site?

Apple used to encode certain information in their serial numbers, but they stopped for this exact reason - counterfeiters made use of public information about the algorithm to generate an authentic serial number that would then cause massive problems for Apple.

These days, I imagine the availability of a large number of serial numbers for used Apple equipment gives them a pool to draw from. Places like eBay often include the serial number in the listing so that potential buyers can confirm the information about the device is correct. Apple Resellers may be leaking serial number information (un)intentionally from their own internal systems. With everything online, the information you're after can usually be found.

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