After what felt like an eternity of waiting, we finally know what the next AirPods look like.
Apple revealed the third-generation AirPods at its streamed product event on Monday. Meant to replace the second-gen AirPods from 2019 rather than AirPods Pro, the latest AirPods sport a new contoured design with much shorter stems than the 2019 model.
They look to be a little closer in size and shape to the Pro, with a couple of major differences: no ear tips and no noise cancelation whatsoever. The new AirPods cost $179 and are available for pre-order today, with general availability starting next week.
Meet the new AirPods.
Credit: apple
What these new AirPods do bring to the table is:
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support for Apple’s spatial audio tech in Apple Music
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a new low distortion driver that should theoretically deliver better bass
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the “Adaptive EQ” feature from AirPods Pro
Adaptive EQ is supposed to gradually adjust the sound quality to fit the shape of your ears, but you can also turn it off if that sounds like too much of an ordeal for you.
Beyond that, the new AirPods are sweat- and water-resistant, and contain more battery life than before. Apple has rated them for up to six hours of listening time on a full charge, with 30 total hours of battery when factoring in the included charging case. Speaking of which, the case is now compatible with MagSafe wireless charging.
Nearly $200 might seem steep for third-gen AirPods that don’t have any kind of noise cancelation, but high prices have never stopped people from lining up around the block for Apple products before.