Whenever new earbuds launch, they are always compared to the Apple AirPods Pro. For some reason, the Apple AirPods Pro has become so popular that it becomes a default benchmark for wireless earbuds in one way or another. Sure, you can get better premium noise cancelling earbuds from other manufacturers. For some reason though, the Apple AirPods Pro has become a reviewers go to when comparing premium headphones.
While it is not the best noise cancelling earbuds available from Apple, it is one of the most well-rounded noise cancelling earbuds you can find in the market today. Its noise cancelling performance is significantly better than plenty of what you can get in the current market. Its sound quality is not the best you can find in the market, but it is good; well-rounded and balanced. It does not have the best battery life in the market too, but it is also significantly better than plenty of the offerings you can find in the market.
The new Apple AirPods Pro launched just last night is a follow-up to one of the most successful earbuds products a manufacturer can make in the current market. In that sense, Apple finds no reason to redesign the ever so popular AirPods Pro. In that sense, everything looks the same with the second-generation Apple AirPods Pro.
H2 Processors – Better Noise Cancelling, Better Sound
Though it looks the same, the internals have changed slightly, for the better of course. It now packs Apple’s H2 audio processing chip. In terms of noise cancelling capabilities, Apple says that this is able to reduce up to twice more loud environmental noise than before. There are no exact measurements to these things, so we can only take their word for it until we test them ourselves.
The H2 chip not only enhances the noise cancelling feature of the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) though. It also works with the new low-distortion drivers and custom amplifier to deliver richer bass and clearer sounds across an even wider dynamic range. They also included an extra-small tip for a better and more comfortable fit for an even wider range of listeners. Obviously, you can go out and make custom tips for yourself for the perfect fit, if you want.
The transparency mode has been improved too. They call it Adaptive Transparency now and the feature cleverly cuts out loud environmental sounds or at least reduces them to ensure that your ears are always protected even when you turn on transparency mode. Of course, it still allows users to interact with other people in that mode.
Other improvements include Personalised Spatial Audio, when you pair the device with the latest iPhone with TrueDepth camera. Using the TrueDepth camera, Apple tunes Spatial Audio and tailors the experience for your ears specifically. In that sense, users can truly enjoy Spatial Audio the way they are meant to be enjoyed with dynamic headtracking.
Touch Controls – Finally
They have also added touch controls to the stem of the second-generation AirPods Pro, something sorely lacking from the previous generation earbuds. Via the touch controls, users can easily change volumes, change music, answer phone calls, and more without touching their smartphones. To make it even more seamless with iPhones, the EarPods Pro features instant pairing with a new dedicated Airpods section in the iOS interface to control the AirPods Pro (2nd generation).
Longer Lasting
They have managed to extend the battery life of the AirPods Pro as well with the new-generation headphones. A single charge allows users to use the AirPods Pro for up to 6 hours at a time. The Case provides up to five more charges allowing for up to 30 hours of music playback. That is six hours more than before. In addition to that, the case can now be charged with an Apple Watch charger, MagSafe charger, or even a Qi-certified charging mat. Even the case is now sweat and water resistant to make it more suitable for gym use.
Easier to Find
To locate the earphones, you can use a U1-enabled iPhone to find their case with guided directions. To ensure that you can find it, there are speaker holes on the case now to emit loud tones so that you just have to follow the sound of the AirPods Pro to find it. It also comes with a lanyard loop, if you want to make sure you will always find it. For those who wants to personalize their AirPods further, you can now engrave your AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with Memoji, Animoji, and select stickers.
Price and Availability
The Apple AirPods Pro will be available in select regions from the 9th of September 2022. It will set you back US$ 249 (MYR 1,099*), which is about the same as the previous generation Apple AirPods Pro. Obviously it will only be available in white with no other colour options in store. There are no confirmed availability date for Malaysia at this point though. Still, it is available for viewing in their Malaysian website, which also means that they are planning to bring it in for sure.
*Official Malaysian Pricing
