This app could bring better AirPods support to all Android phones, but Google needs to fix this bug

An enterprising developer recently released an app called LibrePods, which enables a more feature-rich AirPods experience on Android. The app currently requires root access, and it turns out that a long-standing Android Bluetooth bug is the reason for this requirement.

LibrePods developer Kavish Devar posted a bug report on Google’s Issue Tracker back on October 6, 2024 (h/t: Hacker News), noting the specific code that’s standing in the way of root-free AirPods support. Over 9,100 votes have been cast on the issue, but the bug’s status has been marked as “assigned” by Google ever since then.

This is particularly disappointing as Devar has clearly outlined the problematic lines of code, making it much easier for Googlers to fix the issue. However, the last noteworthy communication from Google representatives was on May 14, asking for the exact steps needed to reproduce the bug. Devar quickly followed up with these steps, but the issue is still in limbo.

In any event, we hope Google fixes this Bluetooth bug sooner rather than later. Not only would this make LibrePods more accessible without the root requirement, but I imagine it could help other developers wanting to offer similar functionality.

We’ve asked Google about this bug and if it has a timeline for a fix. We’ll update the article as soon as the company responds to our query.