> 100% agree with the required update to 26, I was hugely bummed when I discovered I had to update my devices to pair them.
Interesting, I had no issue pairing despite not being on iOS 26. The only things I noticed was that they didn't show up in the Find My app (which is pretty bad) and that I didn't get the shortcut to the airpods settings on the main setting page and had to go through the bluetooth menu instead, otherwise I could pair and do everything I normally did. Tbh, I didn't even notice an issue until I read online about the two things I mentioned...
When I tried to pair mine out of the box it initiated an "Update to iOS 26!" workflow and wouldn't let me pair until I did. Also, after I updated my iPhone and paired them to my iPad Pro, still on iPadOS 18, they just showed up as generic bluetooth headphones with none of the ANC or Hearing Assist features available.
Apple always releases a point release for the last version at the same time as a new major release. It's possible you had to install either 26 or the new point release for 18, but the UI doesn't explain you have that option.