This app fixes the biggest AirPods-on-Android headaches


Android users can now experience Apple-exclusive features on AirPods, thanks to a new open-source app on the Google Play Store.

The new app called LibrePods includes a set of AirPods features previously restricted to Apple’s own ecosystem to Android devices for the first time without requiring technical modifications to the handset.

Features including adaptive transparency, automatic ear detection, gesture controls, and detailed battery status readouts have historically been unavailable to AirPods users on Android.

That cross-platform limitation has long been a point of friction for Android users who own AirPods, whether through switching from iPhone or purchasing the earbuds for their hardware quality alone, as the gap between the Android and iOS feature sets has historically made the earbuds a harder recommendation outside of Apple’s ecosystem.

LibrePods addresses that gap by reverse-engineering Apple’s device protocols to replicate the behaviour AirPods deliver natively on iPhone, effectively unlocking the full feature set on Android without the user needing to own any Apple hardware beyond the earbuds themselves.

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The Play Store release represents a significant shift from the app’s earlier form, which required root access and the Xposed framework to function, a dependency that limited its audience to enthusiasts comfortable with voiding warranties and accepting the security trade-offs that rooting an Android device typically introduces.

Removing that requirement brings LibrePods within reach of mainstream Android users, though some advanced features remain dependent on the specific device or Android version in use, and certain capabilities sit behind an in-app purchase rather than being available without cost at the point of download.

The app’s arrival on the Play Store was first spotted by a Reddit user posting in the Android community, as reported by Digital Trends, with the post accumulating over 700 upvotes and drawing more than 100 comments from users interested in running AirPods outside of Apple’s software environment.

LibrePods is available now on the Google Play Store, with pricing for in-app purchases not confirmed at the time of writing, and compatibility varying depending on the Android version and device in use.



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Virtually every new SUV will depreciate in value over its life as the miles rack up and components start to wear out. However, some of them depreciate much faster than others. At one end of the spectrum, there are some models from the likes of Cadillac, Tesla, and Infiniti, all of which can lose close to two-thirds of their value after just half a decade on the road. That makes them some of the worst-depreciating SUVs on the market. At the other end, there are SUVs like the Toyota Land Cruiser.

The exact resale value of any used car will depend on factors like its trim, condition, and mileage, but on average, Land Cruiser owners can expect a higher trade-in value than most rivals will fetch. According to data from CarEdge, a new Land Cruiser can be expected to lose around 35% of its original value after five years on the road, assuming it covers around 13,500 miles annually.

Estimates from iSeeCars make for equally encouraging reading for Land Cruiser owners, with the outlet estimating that after five years, a new example will lose just 34.4% of its sticker price. Even after seven years on the road, iSeeCars estimates that the average Land Cruiser will still be worth a little over half of what buyers originally paid for it.

The Land Cruiser holds its value well

The estimate from iSeeCars puts the Land Cruiser slightly ahead of average for value retention in the large hybrid SUV segment, and significantly ahead of the overall market average for new SUVs. According to the same data, the average new SUV can expect to lose 44.9% of its value over the same period, over 10% more than the Land Cruiser. That said, a different Toyota SUV is forecast to retain even more of its value.

Since the 2025 model year, both the Land Cruiser and the 4Runner have shared their platform and hybrid powertrains. However, according to current estimates, the 4Runner is the clear winner when it comes to resale value. Data from iSeeCars forecasts that a new, non-hybrid 4Runner is likely to lose only 25.4% of its value after its first five years, and CarEdge predicts almost exactly the same figure. According to the former outlet, a hybrid 4Runner will lose slightly more of its value over the same timeframe, shedding 28.6% on average.

While the 4Runner is the better choice purely for value retention, that only forms part of the equation for most buyers. The Land Cruiser remains appealing thanks to its mix of off-road capability and on-road refinement, with even the base 2026 trim offering plenty of standard features, despite missing out on the luxuries that higher trims include.





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