Apple has finally announced its third-generation AirPods in a fresh design combining one or more features of previous AirPods including AirPods Pro. The new AirPods sees a revamp in its form factor. This is the first time since 2016, the AirPods come with short stems. The hard plastic build remains the same though. The third-generation AirPods from Apple start at $179 with pre-order already commenced and sales kicking off in the following week.
The new earbuds offer resistance against water as well as sweat. These are said to deliver up to six-hour of non-stop listening that goes up to 30 hours with the case. The custom design and adaptive EQ are revamped to be able to tune and enhance audio on their own. Apple has also integrated MagSafe charging system support plus the “force sensor” controls seen in the AirPods Pro.
The major focus is the spatial audio and Dolby Atmos music mixes. Like the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, the head tracking capabilities have been re-iterated too, applicable to both the audio and the video. On the other hand, microphones are further enhanced to deliver high-quality voice calls. For full HD voice and exceptional FaceTime calls, the AAC-ELD speech codec has been used.
A demerit to the open and rest-in-the-ear design, you miss out on the active noise cancellation. Now, if it really matters the most, you can turn your heads at the AirPods Pro.
Back in 2016, Apple unveiled the first-ever AirPods. These were followed by the second-gen AirPods. In 2019, Apple released the AirPods Pro featuring silicone ear tips that would fit in-ear. The company announced its first-ever over-ear headphones called the AirPods Max in the following year.
The new earbuds carry a huge responsibility to maintain the reputation of the entire AirPods line. These offer easy usability, not to mention smooth integration with hardware from the Apple ecosystem including Apple TV, Apple Watch, Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
However, it’s no easy ride for Apple given a range of competitors such as Jabra, Sony, Amazon, Samsung, and even Nothing bringing in unique styles, exciting designs, and prices that start as low as $99.
With the entry of the third-generation AirPods, the second-generation AirPods will now be available for $129.
