Podswap takes AirPods nearing the end of their useful life and replaces them with a fresh pair. And the recycling service costs considerably less than Apple charges to replace these wireless earbuds.
Plus, anyone using the service can take comfort knowing that their old AirPods will be recycled, not thrown away.
Batteries inevitably wear out. With regular use, the time AirPods last on each charge steadily decreases. After a couple of years, Apple’s earbuds are good for only an hour or so.
Apple will replace a pair with worn-out batteries for $98. Or Podswap will do it for $59.99.
Swap your dying AirPods with PodSwap recycling
The company is run by Emily Alpert and Emma Stritzinger. After Alpert’s AirPods were wearing out, they found a way to replace the batteries, which is surprising considering these devices were not designed to be repairable.
The service refurbishes first- and second-generation AirPods. And customers get a recycled pair with fresh batteries before they have to send in their old earbuds.
iFixit tested their claims, having PodSwap refurbish a specific pair, not do a swap. With new batteries, the test devices lasted four hours on a charge.
But the company warns that the pair of recycled earbuds customers receive used to belong to someone else and have had their batteries replaced. “Fine scratches and other minor imperfections may be visible on your replacement units,” notes PodSwap.
Currently, the recycling service is not available for AirPods Pro or AirPods Max. The same goes for the AirPods charging case.