Apple suddenly unveiled a new generation of AirPods yesterday, this time with the name “Pro” (what a surprise :). The year 2019 is in the spirit of the “Pro” because Apple introduced the new iPhone 11 Pro and announced the next generation of Mac Pro sooner this year.
Two Main New Features
There are several major changes to the new AirPods Pro. The first is undoubtedly the design (including the design of the charging box). AirPods 1st and 2nd generation did not fit to a lot of users due to AirPods shape. They simply fell out or were not comfortable.
Newly, AirPods are more like classic earbuds. In the package, you will find 3 different sizes of silicone ear tips. Interestingly, thanks to the microphone inside the AirPods Pro and Apple’s software, you can test if your headphones fit well. The modified design has also 2 side effects:
- Better fit.
- Better isolation.
The second major improvement is ANC (Active Noise Cancelling). For the time being, there are not many similar alternatives on the market (we remember Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds, as an example).
With AirPods Pro, you can choose from two modes. The first is the Transparency mode. When you activate it, you hear spoken words and other sounds. ANC mode then suppresses other disturbing sounds. You can switch between modes by pressing the bottom of the headphones, where the new pressure sensors are located, or you can switch them off completely. Interestingly, the headphones analyze ambient noise 200× per second.
Improved Sound Quality And Water Resistance
The sound quality of previous generations of AirPods was not sufficient for the most demanding users. AirPods Pro should push this bar even higher.
Most sports enthusiasts will also be pleased by the water and sweat resistance of the AirPods Pro (IPX4), which was missing from previous models. However, Apple does not recommend swimming with headphones, for example. But classic running is fine.
Wireless Charging – A New Standard Feature?
For 2nd Generation AirPods, you had to pay extra for a wireless charging box. Airdpods Pro comes with this box already included. The headphones can play music for 4.5 hours when ANC is turned on, and up to 5 hours when active noise canceling is off.
Just be aware that you will find a USB C <––> Lightning cable in the package, which means that you will either have to purchase a USB C to conventional USB adapter dongle so you can charge the charing box.
The Compatibility With An OS
It is important to note that AirPods Pro will only work with the latest operating systems; iOS 13, macOS Catalina, iPad OS, etc. However, compatibility with Siri’s assistant is a matter of course.
The price of the new AirPods Pro is $249 in the US. It may seem like a lot but it is important to compare the AirPods with similar products (like the above-mentioned earbuds by Sony which costs around $200. But the question remains, would you buy the new AirPods?