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PhilMacbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 16, 2018
185
219
Britain
I just tried my Powerbeats Pros on a plane for the first time. About 1 hour into the flight, on both ear pieces, the Beats button used to pause and start songs stopped functioning. The button has no effect and no longer clicks when pressed.

After a while the left ear piece started working normally but the right ear piece still has problems an hour after my flight. The Beats button still doesn't work at all and and, while the volume controls work in mechanical terms, they do not change the volume any longer. The only thing that still works on the right ear piece is the sound but none of the controls work.

Has anyone else experienced this? I am guessing it might be cabin pressure to blame but the headphones should be able to cope.
 

Costino1

macrumors 6502a
Oct 1, 2012
767
696
I doubt highly its from cabin pressure. The pressure in a plane isn't that much to cause mechanical issues like that. Probably just a faulty button. Use your warranty.
 
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PhilMacbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 16, 2018
185
219
Britain
I doubt highly its from cabin pressure. The pressure in a plane isn't that much to cause mechanical issues like that. Probably just a faulty button. Use your warranty.

It's strange both headphones malfunctioned at the same time but both started working again, one of them after the flight. You may be right about the timing - it could be coincidence that it happened on a plane.

I have never had to replace an Apple or Beats product before. Being that both headphones are now working I doubt they would let me replace them under warranty. Is that correct?
 

Costino1

macrumors 6502a
Oct 1, 2012
767
696
It's strange both headphones malfunctioned at the same time but both started working again, one of them after the flight. You may be right about the timing - it could be coincidence that it happened on a plane.

I have never had to replace an Apple or Beats product before. Being that both headphones are now working I doubt they would let me replace them under warranty. Is that correct?

Possibly. Id still try to inquire. Better safe than sorry.
 
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PhilMacbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 16, 2018
185
219
Britain
The headphones stopped working again yesterday on the return flight. They both started working some time after the flight.

The headphones still produced sound, it was the physical controls (pause and volume) that stop working.

I am inclinded to think it is due to cabin pressure. The plane was a Bombardier Q400 with propellers rather than a jet plane.

Has anyone else experienced this?
 
Last edited:

FlyingDutch

macrumors 65816
Aug 21, 2019
1,319
1,205
Eindhoven (NL)
it would be nice to know the "cabin altitude" during the cruise on that airplane.
Because usually it is lower than 3/4000 ft, so it is just like being on a not-so-high mountain, and you shouldn't have any issue with your headphones.
 

Zahni

macrumors regular
Jul 16, 2019
134
57
Try to reset: press and hold the button inside the case over 10 sec. PBP must be inside the case.
 

kitt9000

macrumors 6502
Mar 15, 2012
403
608
This is strange, however the last time I got these earphones replaced was also when the left earpiece stopped holding a charge and showed 0%, which occurred on a flight I was taking. I had to resort to wired earbuds during the flight. I went to the Apple store to have it checked out the next day but the earphone randomly started working/charging again. Since I was just outside my 30d purchase, the genius was nice enough to replace them for me just in case. The new ones so far haven’t given me the same issue on flights so far.
 

PhilMacbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 16, 2018
185
219
Britain
Try to reset: press and hold the button inside the case over 10 sec. PBP must be inside the case.

I tried resetting and it didn't work.

They have been absolutely fine today and were fine while I was away, as long as I was not airborne.
 

Jcasey123

macrumors newbie
Dec 4, 2019
2
0
The headphones stopped working again yesterday on the return flight. They both started working some time after the flight.

The headphones still produced sound, it was the physical controls (pause and volume) that stop working.

I am inclinded to think it is due to cabin pressure. The plane was a Bombardier Q400 with propellers rather than a jet plane.

Has anyone else experienced this?
Hi there,

How soon after landing (on the return flight) did they return to normal? I just took a flight today for the first time with my Powerbeats Pro, and neither "b" buttons nor volume controls are working on either headphone.
 

PhilMacbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 16, 2018
185
219
Britain
It took a few hours.

On Monday I took my first jet flight with them. All was well until about 20 minutes before landing then the physical controls stopped working on both headphones.

I assume many people are using Powerbeats Pro on planes and that Apple tested them on planes. I wonder whether a small percentage of Powerbeats Pro have problems or it is a general design flaw.
 
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Jcasey123

macrumors newbie
Dec 4, 2019
2
0
It took a few hours.

On Monday I took my first jet flight with them. All was well until about 20 minutes before landing then the physical controls stopped working on both headphones.

I assume many people are using Powerbeats Pro on planes and that Apple tested them on planes. I wonder whether a small percentage of Powerbeats Pro have problems or it is a general design flaw.
Also, before they started working again, did you attempt to press any of the buttons, or did you just leave them alone until the problem was resolved?
 

PhilMacbook

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 16, 2018
185
219
Britain
When it first happened I tried to push the 'B' button. Sometimes that produced what sounded like an error tone to signal something was wrong when the button sticks. Now I just put the headphones in the case and come back to them a few hours after landing. Sometimes it takes longer than others to correct.
 

Heverm

macrumors newbie
Mar 4, 2020
1
1
So I just took my Powerbeats pro on a flight from LA to NY and the exact same thing happened to me. The two buttons on the earphones stopped working on my initial flight but then one started working again after about a day from the flight and then on my return flight it stopped working again and has yet to recover.
 
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