MY ears have been testing out Apple’s brand new AirPods this past week – they can’t get enough.
I’ve been lugs-on with the new 2nd-generation Apple AirPods USB-C headphones, putting them through their paces to see if they’re worth the $249/£229 price tag.
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The AirPods hardly need an introduction these days.
But for clarity, the AirPods Pro are the more expensive noise-cancelling version of Apple’s popular wireless earbuds.
Apple unveiled a brand new version at its special September 2023 Wonderlust event with some very tempting upgrades.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the new AirPods Pro look exactly the same as the previous 2nd-gen version.
That’s not a bad thing – the AirPods Pro are some of the best-looking earbuds out there, and they’re instantly recognisable too.
The only real clue that something is different is on the bottom of the AirPods.
You’re not seeing things: the charging port has grown in size.
That’s because the old Lightning connector is gone, with USB-C now in its place.
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It’s the same story for Apple’s four new variants of the iPhone 15, announced just last week in California.
USB-C is a type of connector introduced in 2014 that is now widely popular on Android phones, computers and laptops, and even features on newer Mac and iPad models.
It’s hard to overstate how exciting Apple’s switch to USB-C is.
The new port means you’ll be able to use the same cable to charge just about anything.
And while it might be annoying to see your old Lightning cables slowly phased out, it’ll be much easier to use USB-C everywhere in the long run.
Another handy upgrade is the shift to IP54 rating, which means there’s now additional dust-proofing for the Apple gadget.
I never found that dust was a particular issue for my AirPods, but a safer design is nothing to complain about.
And while it won’t be much useful to the vast majority of people, there’s been another clever change that super-fans will be happy about.
The new AirPods Pro offer “lossless audio with ultra-low latency”.
This is designed with Apple Vision Pro in mind – that’s the upcoming mixed reality “spatial computer” we’re expecting next year.
Apple is hoping you’ll stick the new AirPods Pro in your eyes while you enjoy the headset for the best possible audio experience.
But it only really benefits people willing to fork out $3,499 for the headset – unless Apple eventually serves up a cheaper headset down the line.
There are some other perks that come to all 2nd-gen AirPods Pro (yes, even the Lightning version) with iOS 17.
The big hitter is Adaptive Audio, which is designed to give you the best levels of noise-cancellation for your environment.
It’s impressive and has become my default mode.
By contrast, the two alternatives are Noise Cancellation (to block out as much as possible) and Transparency (to draw in outside sound).
Adaptive Audio seems to be the best of both worlds. It shuts out most of the din of city life, but means that I won’t miss the train announcer.
The second more general upgrade is called Conversation Awareness.
Apple designed it to lower the volume when you start speaking to someone nearby.
The feature will also enhance voices coming from in front of you and generally reduce background noise.
It’s surprisingly effective, although it takes a few tries to start “trusting” it to do what you want – and not pausing your speech because you think it didn’t work immediately.
Thirdly, there’s a feature called Personalised Volume.
It’s totally optional and will automatically adapt the AirPods Pro volume depending on things like your environmental conditions by learning your preferences over time.
Whether you like this or not will come down to personal preference, but I recommend giving it a go to see how well it does.
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Look, the AirPods Pro aren’t for everyone.
At $249/£229, you’re targeting people who care a little bit more about decent audio and shutting out the din of modern life.
If that’s you then you can’t really go wrong with the AirPods Pro.
They sound great for the size, delivering clear and balanced sound with respectable bass to boot.
The noise cancellation is incredibly effective for earbuds, and Adaptive Audio makes it even more useful.
They look good, last for ages, and work so mind-bogglingly seamlessly that it’s hard to understand how Apple has crammed so much computational power into tiny pods that fit in your ears (the H2 chip is to thank).
And if you were holding out for USB-C, you’ve finally got the reason to switch.
The price is fair for earbuds in this range, and there are no better headphones for the iPhone in terms of usability.
The Sun says: Apple’s best-in-class earbuds keep getting better – and the new USB-C port means there’s never been a better time to upgrade. 5/5
The new Apple AirPods Pro 2nd-generation USB-C are available from Friday, September 22.
All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
Always do your own research before making any purchase.
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