Apple was known for their iPhones, but their attempts at the smartwatches and earphones market have proven just as successful. The Airpods took the truly wireless earphones market by surprise, but the pricier AirPods Pro with their active noise cancellation features have been the staple for any smartphone enthusiast. At the recent iPhone 14 event, apple also showed off the new AirPods (2nd generation). How has Apple managed to improve the already excellent AirPods Pro? Let us go through the list of improvements.
The first generation of the AirPods Pro were launched in 2019, three years ago and unlike the iPhones, they have not received updates as often. These new AirPods Pro then have been long awaited and do they come with upgraded hardware! Unlike most earphones lacking any digital signal processing, the older AirPods Pro used the Apple H1 processor, and the new second generation ones now use the H2 model. An upgrade of this sort brings in a range of other improvements. The drivers that drive the sound are custom designed, like most of Apple’s hardware. The new H2 processor has been tuned to work with these new drivers to render the best quality, so hear the best detail, good bass and highs. Even the amplifier is designed to minimize distortion at higher volumes. This should mean flawless sound, whether you are listening to music, watching movies and videos off the web, or gaming. There is even an Adaptive EQ feature that adjusts the sound based on the fitting of the AirPods Pro in your ears. It’s different for every ear. That is a whole new level adaptive level of customization, keeping audio quality and detail at the forefront.
The H2 is responsible for more than just sound quality, it also works 48000 times a second trying to identify external sounds and noise, filtering out more than the older model. Poor noise cancellation can isolate the wrong frequencies and the H2 does a superior task at it. The H2 even been optimized to consume less power while doing all this processing, so you can spend more time listening to your AirPods Pro, not charging them. Other features that the H2 empowers are the three-dimensional audio, that lets you place yourself in a 3d space and have audio play to you as if you were in a large room listening to music on speakers. That is the power of Spatial Audio, another feature that makes the AirPods Pro so enticing.
There have been improvements even to the microphones. The microphones point inwards to better detect your voice, to detail it so they sound a lot better than conventional truly wireless earphones. They also sound more natural and fuller. This is great for calling. Another feature called Adaptive Transparency lets you continue conversations with people in your surroundings without having to unplug the earphones. It still blocks out the noise but not the conversations.
Not everything about a good pair of earphones is about quality and features, it also has a lot to do with comfort and how well they fit. While most earphones come with small, medium, and large ear buds, the Apple AirPods Pro come with an extra-small pair of ear buds. They are made of silicone, so they are soft, easy to clean and long-lasting. The construction and design of the AirPods Pods are not too different from the older model and using them are just as easy. The stem has swiping support, so you can swipe up or down to adjust the volume, press it to answer calls, pause and play music. Holding it down helps you toggle the transparency features, and noise cancellation. You will rarely need to reach out for your phone.
The new processor also has enabled great battery life. Apple claims the AirPods Pro can last 6 hours on single use, under test scenarios, and last 30 hours if you add the battery charge left on the case. The case itself has a ton of impressive features. You can charge it wirelessly, or with a MagSafe charger, or the one used for the Apple Watch. The new case can be found using your U1-enabled iPhone’s Find my feature in case you happen to lose it. There is a speaker that will make a sound to help you find it. Losing it is also difficult now that the case comes with a lanyard provision.
The AirPods Pro have always been smart. For one, you can listen to music from one source, on two different AirPods at once. This is great fun if you are on a journey, or watching a movie late into the night, but without disturbing anyone. The AirPods Pro also connect easily, without any complex steps – simply get close to an Apple TV or iPad or other compatible devices, and they connect. The AirPods Pro even switch sources automatically if you get a phone call. What’s more, these AirPods Pro with their additional microphones and vocal boosting features could double as a hearing aid for those who need it.
The AirPods Pro have truly evolved since the first generation and the long wait seems to have been worth it, considering all the features you get. We are just as excited as you, awaiting their arrival here in the Indian market. You can be assured, we will be among the first to bring them to you, here at reliancedigital.in and if you prefer, in person at your nearest Reliance Digital store. So, keep an eye out for more details, prices, and availability.
