Importance of Bluetooth Firmware Updates

X43

Just enabling bluetooth makes your attack surface much greater. See how common it is nowadays and so old, would say it's safe to assume this is the way to go 0click without physical access into a persons phone for statelevel actor.

missing-root

Relaks Google actively leaving out the headphone jack (while making huge phones) is such a stupid move.

I dont want

headphones with firmware updates
to use Bluetooth in public
to use my charging port for audio, so that it will break much sooner
a DAC dongle that nearly nobody buys so you need to get it somewhere online?

Cable headphones with a builtin DAC just worked, analog and digital, perfect quality, no firmware Updates...

But yeah so much for my rant. I have Bluetooth headphones where I can turn Bluetooth off and use them over cable.

DeletedUser40

missing-root An Apple DAC is popular and inexpensive

ReadOnlyUser

ReadOnlyUser
Finally I managed to get the Buds updated to v5.9! I cleared app data of the Buds app as well as GSF. Then I granted network permission to both and disabled DNS based adblocker. After resetting the buds and pairing them again, the app offered a manual update.
Conversation detection and the equalizer are available now.

Sorry for hijacking this thread ;-)

Relaks

I've decided to go for wired earphones instead. Would've still liked to see the firmware release notes for the Pixel Buds simply to get some insight into what kind of security fixes, if anything, is applied. Alas, can't find any.

DeletedUser40

This isn't entirely related, but just to chime in, if you have an iPhone or iPad, imo your best choice are AirPods which regularly gets updates (when paired to an iPhone or iPad), AirPods 2nd and 3rd generation has Bluetooth 5.0, while AirPods Pro 2nd generation has Bluetooth 5.3. Otherwise, Google Pixel Buds also gets regular updates.

In BLE devices (including AirPods and Google Pixel Buds), the MAC address transported over the air is randomized (Apple)

missing-root

DeletedUser40 where do you buy those? In a store?

Also does it support headsets?

Eagle_Owl

DeletedUser40
Which device do you mean?
Never heard about Apple DAC as separate device. Know only iPhone, iPad, MacBook etc.

DeletedUser40

missing-root It's at popular stores (in the US) like Walmart, target, best buy, and definitely at an apple store, and it does support headsets and microphones

missing-root

DeletedUser40 All US-only shops XD german electronics shops suck. May need to actually enter an Apple Store, yuck!

DeletedUser40

Eagle_Owl I understand how it's confusing, the Apple DAC is just their Lightning or USB-C to 3.5mm converter

Eagle_Owl

DeletedUser40
Aah, thank you, now I know what you mean!
I know this as an adapter cable for headphones with cables and 3.5mm headphone jack plugs. :-)