Yesterday, Apple introduced the new third generation model of the AirPods. Before discussing the new features, let's take a quick look at how we got here.
A brief history of AirPods
Apple announced the first generation AirPods on September 7, 2016. They hit the market at the end of that year, and although supply of that $159 product was very limited at first, I loved them right away, as did many others. AirPods are one of my all-time favorite Apple products. At the office, I use them all the time for phone calls and video conferences. Out of the office, I use them all the time for music, podcasts, and videos. They weigh virtually nothing, and they work great.
A little more than two years later, Apple introduced the second generation AirPods with faster pairing and improved Siri support. And if you paid an additional $40, you could get a case that charges using wireless Qi charging. It was a nice upgrade, albeit an incremental one.
On October 28, 2019, Apple introduced the AirPods Pro. They added active noise cancellation, flexible silicone tips, and a force sensor button that you squeeze instead of tapping. They also introduced a new case design, making the AirPods Pro easily distinguishable from the second generation AirPods:
The AirPods Pro also supports spatial audio, a really nice technology that simulates surround sound. When music supports it, the sound is much richer. And spatial audio can make videos seem much more immersive. Some videos even support a directional version of spatial audio so that if you turn your head away from the screen, the audio seems to be coming from the screen — a neat effect that tricks you into forgetting that you are listening to audio from your AirPods Pro instead of from speakers that are built-in to the screen.
In late 2020, Apple introduced the AirPods Max, which are over-ear wireless headphones that cost $549. Although they have "AirPods" in the name, this has always seemed like a different product to me. I associate "AirPods" with small earphones, not large over-the-head headphones.
The new AirPods (3rd generation)
That brings us to yesterday. The new third generation AirPods occupy a middle ground between the second generation AirPods and the AirPods Pro.
The new AirPods look similar to the prior model, but the stem is shorter and they add a force sensor button.
The original AirPods design is fantastic, so the newest AirPods should feel quite good in your ears.
The new AirPods come in a case that looks similar to the AirPods Pro case, although it is not quite as wide — 2.14 inches wide versus the 2.39 inches AirPods Pro case.
This new case supports MagSafe wireless charging. Wireless charging is not a new feature — as noted above, it was added in early 2019 with the second generation AirPods and is also supported by the AirPods Pro. But the "MagSafe" part of this is new. What it means is that if you put the case on a MagSafe charger, not only will it charge (which is not new) but it will also attach magnetically to the charger so that you can be positive that there is a good connection and it is less likely to slide off of the charger by accident. This is a nice new feature that makes wireless charging even better. (Apple also updated the case on AirPods Pro yesterday to add support for MagSafe.)
The new AirPods don't have noise-cancellation; you still need to get the AirPods Pro for that. But they do include many of the other audio improvements of the AirPods Pro including spatial audio. Also, like the AirPods Pro — and unlike the second generation AirPods — the newest AirPods are advertised as sweat and water resistant.
The new AirPods also provide an extra hour of battery life — up to six hours of listening and up to four hours of talking. And if they run low on power, you can charge them for just five minutes to get about an hour of battery life. The battery in the case can charge the AirPods four more times, so you get up to 30 hours of total listening time.
Another new feature that doesn't even exist on the AirPods Pro is a new skin-detection sensor. Apple says that it does a better job of determining when the AirPods are no longer in your ear (which causes music to pause). Prior AirPods models and the AirPods Pro use an optical sensor, which can get confused and think that they are in your ear when they are instead in a dark pocket.
Pricing
Ever since AirPods were introduced in 2016, the price was $159 (although you could often find them on sale). But Apple also announced yesterday the they are going to continue to sell the second generation AirPods for only $129. That makes me think that those will eventually go on sale for under $100. It is now much cheaper to start using AirPods.
The new third generation AirPods cost $179, so they are $20 more than what AirPods used to cost. However, the case comes with wireless charging, a feature that used to cost extra.
AirPods Pro also remain available for $249, for those who want noise cancellation and/or the flexible tips that come in different sizes. Noise cancellation is a feature that I really like, but it is nice that you can get almost all of the other advantages of AirPods Pro for $80 less. And the new AirPods offer one very nice advantage over AirPods Pro: longer battery life (up to 6 hours instead of up to 4.5 hours).
Conclusion
The new AirPods seem like a great product. The support for spatial audio and the longer battery life make them a very nice improvement over the prior model. And the prior model sticks around at a lower price, making it easier for folks to justify purchasing the entry-level AirPods over other wireless earphones. The new AirPods even include some new features that have not (yet) shown up on the AirPods Pro.
You can pre-order the new AirPods now, and they go on sale next week.
