It's the closest we're going to get to an admission from Apple that there's a problem with its AirPods Pro ear buds.

Apple announced, in a Friday support update, a free service program to address "sound issues" occurring in any of the in-ear headphones made before October 2020. That means if one or both of your pods makes "crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise, or while talking on the phone," you can take them in to Apple.

Apple also noted that issues with active noise cancellation, "such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds," are also included under the repair program.

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Apple says you can take your messed up headphones to an Apple Store or official Apple retail provider and the company will fix the issue, free of charge. There's no deadline listed on the Apple support page to get your buds working properly. Keep in mind this is only for the pods, not the charging case.

If you're trying to snag a free repair job, Apple said your pods will be examined to verify eligibility for the free fix.

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The noise issue has been plaguing users for months. An online forum on the MacRumors website has 16 pages of comments about the problem. There's even a name for it: Rattlegate.

The Pro version of the Apple ear buds cost $249. They were first released one year ago, Oct. 30 2019.

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