User error? I also have 2nd gen Airpod Pros and they work fine with my S24 Ultra. The only thing that doesn't work is automatic connecting, which is actually a feature I'd like to turn off.

I think we have a misunderstanding here...

I'm done with Apple for years, probably forever. It is hard to look at the MacBook knowing it's the best hardware and still not buy it, but I chose Openness and right to repair and will buy a framework 13 pro as soon as I can afford it.

Your story is exactly the reason I'm not buying Apple any more. However, knowing that Google does prevent the headphones longpress / hold from being handled in any audio app at the OS level is not really better and I simply have to admit, Apple does some things really well.

That said, the problem stays the same: Microsoft trying to release a notebook that can compete with Apples much smaller and tightly integrated portfolio is probably prone to fail.

I'm still glad for every alternative out there. Although I don't believe that Intel + NVidia will have a much better integration than amd strix halo in the HP Zbook G1a

Not a phone, but I use my old first gen AirPods Pro with my Windows laptop for work just fine using Bluetooth. I haven’t had any problems at all with them.

One thing I did was completely remove them from my Apple account and factory reset them, so they didn’t try to join my iPhone or my personal laptop. Maybe try that to see if it helps with your issues?

Yeah, but I hear that bluetooth is a bad massive standard and there are multiple versions of bluetooth, so one bluetooth earpiece not working with a rival device is believable.

is this a story you hallucinated or something you actually experienced?