Counterfeit AirPods Pro 3 discovered after device breaks

A consumer discovered they had purchased counterfeit AirPods Pro 3 after the device broke while attempting to change the silicone ear tips. The user, identified on Reddit as SleepyRememberer, reported that the product was purchased from Walmart Canada.

The internal components revealed the fraud, most notably a square-shaped battery. Authentic Apple AirPods Pro 3 utilize a rounded battery design positioned in the upper half of the earbud casing. Additionally, the counterfeit device lacked the heavy adhesive construction typical of genuine Apple products, causing the shell to easily separate during routine maintenance.

The incident highlights the increasing sophistication of counterfeit electronics, which can mimic the appearance of charging cases, build quality, and serial number fonts of genuine products.