Apple‘s AirPods have become a staple for many users, offering a convenient way to listen to music, take calls, and interact with Siri. This fall, an AirPods software update brings a range of enhancements focused on improving communication and interaction with your iPhone. The update was announced at Apple’s recent WWDC.
The upcoming update introduces Siri Interactions, a feature exclusive to AirPods Pro (2nd generation). With Siri Interactions activated, users can initiate interactions with Siri by simply nodding their heads for “yes” or shaking their heads for “no.” This intuitive approach eliminates the need to reach for your iPhone or use voice activation commands, offering a seamless and hands-free way to control various functions. Imagine adjusting music playback, making calls, or even getting directions while on the go, all with a simple head gesture.
Source: Apple
For those who frequently use AirPods for calls, the update introduces Voice Isolation, a new feature available on AirPods Pro (2nd generation) and AirPods Max. Imagine taking a call in a bustling coffee shop or a crowded airport and having your voice clearly transmitted to the other caller, even amidst background noise. Voice Isolation utilizes advanced algorithms to distinguish your voice from surrounding noise, ensuring clear and uninterrupted communication. This feature caters to professionals who rely on AirPods for conference calls or anyone seeking a more focused calling experience in noisy environments.
Convenience is further enhanced with the introduction of press-to-mute functionality. This feature is available on AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro (1st and 2nd generation), and AirPods Max. Imagine quickly muting your microphone during a call by simply squeezing the stem of your AirPods. This intuitive gesture allows for effortless control over audio during calls, eliminating the need to navigate through menus on your iPhone.
As mentioned earlier, the update is expected to arrive on the AirPods starting this fall.
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.
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
Source: Apple
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
Source: Apple
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
Source: Apple
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.
It does not really matter whether you like the Apple AirPods or not. It is, in its two generations, the best-selling Truly Wireless Earphones you can find in the market today. In its two generations too, there has not been much in terms of design changes. Until now of course.
The third generation Apple AirPods has just been unveiled in Apple’s event just last night (1 a.m. at +8GMT, Kuala Lumpur time), and it is the best AirPods you can buy today, second only to the AirPods Pro. The new earbuds feature a new design that is supposed to stay in your ears better now without needing a silicon tip. The changes are more than skin deep though.
The new AirPods feature Apple’s proven H1 chip for acoustic processing. Thanks to the H1 chip as well, Apple’s AirPods can now deliver Adaptive EQ with the new Apple AirPods. That also means that the AirPods ensures that users get the best aural experience with the AirPods no matter the fit.
The Dolby Atmos enabled AirPods now features Apple’s brilliant Spatial Audio technology too. That also means that you now get 3D virtual surround sound on Apple Music, Apple TV+, and other apps that supports Spatial Audio. Your audio experience is not just better, but it is now even more immersive and rich thanks to Spatial Audio.
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
Source: Apple
At the same time, the Third Generation Apple AirPods can last even longer than before. It now offers 6 hours in listening time, more than enough for your gym sessions. Once you run out of juice, the case can charge the AirPods four more times for a total of 30 hours of music playback time. Of course, it offers wireless charging with MagSafe.
The Third Generation (3rd Generation) AirPods will be available in the United States and 26 other countries in the coming week. It will be available for US$ 179 (MYR 829*) on the 26th of October 2021 onward. There are no confirmations on whether or not Malaysia is included in the list of 26 countries. Considering that Malaysia got the iPhone 13 series quite fast this time round though, we might not have to wait all that long for the new Apple AirPods to arrive. More information on the Apple AirPods can be found on their website.
Spatial audio for Apple devices was announced back in 2020. It is Apple’s idea of a sort of 3D audio on Dolby Atmos. 3D audio was not really a new concept either at this point. Major electronic vendors like Sony have started experimenting with their own version of 3D audio with their 360 Reality Audio technology and their very own 3D Audio on the PlayStation 5. In a sense, if you want to describe Spatial Audio, it is like a virtual surround sound.
There is a sort of hardware limitation to the technology though. Not every audio hardware can support the technology at this time. That said, Apple’s latest TWS headphones line up like the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max supports the technology. Then you have a problem with the software side of things, not every software supports the technology yet. Why would you launch a technology that is not supported by any contents then?
There are no straight answers here. One of the answers is simply because they can. At the same time though, the announcement is a sort of signal to all the developers that are developing on the iOS platform. A sort of notice to tell people that Apple has the technology and developers can take advantage of the technology on their apps, with the right support of course.
Spatial Audio is not just beneficial for music or the illusion of live music though. It has the potential to really elevate your audio experience without spending thousands upon thousands of top dollars on top of what you already have. It is, in a sense, a cheap way to get immersive audio. Of course, the audio quality really depends on your audio hardware itself, and its tuning; you cannot defy the law of physics still.
This opens up the avenue for immersive entertainment experience on the go too. You can bring the cinema experience in your pockets. You can watch a movie on your Apple iPhone, for example, and feel like you are in the theatres while you are flying from Johannesburg to London.
Now, you can watch Netflix on iPhone and iPad with Spatial Audio. The first app that supported Apple’s Spatial Audio was Apple’s very own Music app in 2021. The support for Spatial Audio then extends to the Apple TV 4K as well at the same time.
Weirdly, Netflix is not the first third party app that received Spatial Audio treatment. Instead, apps like Disney Plus, and HBO Max are the first third party apps to receive the support. Of course, Apple would have equipped their Apple TV Plus app with Spatial Audio capabilities early on. In that sense, the support for Spatial Audio for Netflix is a long time coming. That is not to say that the update is not a welcome update though.
Users should expect to see the update rolling into their Apple iPad and Apple iPhone devices in the coming days. If you do not have Netflix, you can always try Apple’s Spatial Audio technology via Apple TV Plus app. Just make sure you have an Apple AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to go with your Apple iPhone and iPad. For Netflix users, you can turn on Spatial Audio from Netflix’s settings menu. If you do not see the option yet, you might want to check if your app is updated or wait for the latest app update from the Apple App Store.
