Apple has just launched the rumored noise-canceling AirPods Pro not with an October product event, but via a press release. The premium earbuds are set for release on October 30th for $249. They’re up for preorder starting today.
Apple says the AirPods Pro offer “superior sound quality” with audio feature called Adaptive EQ. According to the company, the tool “automatically tunes” low and mid-range frequencies to suit each person’s ears. There’s also an amplifier on board for “pure, incredibly clear sound” and extended battery life. Apple says the drivers inside the AirPods Pro can produce bass down to 20Hz to round out the “immersive” audio quality. To help you find the right fit, there’s an Ear Tip Fit Test that examines the seal for each ear to determine what size tip will be best for you.
The AirPods Pro feature a transparency mode that will let you hear your surroundings while wearing them. The earbuds have a “force sensor” that you can use to control music playback and activate transparency mode.
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The AirPods Pro employs two microphones on each earbud and software that continuously adapts the level of ANC to your ears. One microphone keeps tabs on ambient noise while the other faces inward to pick up any additional sound that may remain. Apple says the setup continuously analyzes the sound 200 times per second. If that seems familiar, that description is pretty close to Beats’ Pure ANC that’s available on its noise-cancelling headphones. You’ll be able to put the Airpods Pro ANC to the test at the gym too, since the IPX4-rated true wireless earbuds should also hold up just fine to sweat during your workouts.
Like many noise-cancelling audio accessories, the AirPods Pro have a transparency mode for when you need to hear what’s going on around you or have a quick conversation. You can also activate it directly on earbud itself, thanks to what Apple calls a “force sensor.” Basically, the company is using that tech to offer on-board controls, since you can also use it to play/pause, skip tracks or answer calls. You will have to reach for your phone to make volume adjustments though, but Apple has added a volume slider to Control Center or you can make the change with an Apple Watch. And thanks to Apple’s H1 chip, Siri is always listening, just like it did on the most recent version of AirPods.
Unlike the current AirPods, these will come with flexible ear tips for a more secure, sealed in-ear fit. Three sizes of silicone tips are included in the box. Apple even says there’s a software audio test that can tell you if you’ve chosen the right-sized tip by “measuring the sound level in the ear and comparing it to what is coming from the speaker driver.” This should reduce any guesswork or confusion for customers.
Like the second-gen AirPods, the AirPods Pro support wireless charging and hands-free “Hey Siri” voice commands. Apple says they get around 4.5 hours of continuous listening battery life. But as usual with AirPods, the case has enough extra battery for around 24 hours of total listening time, including those recharges.
The AirPods Pro are sweat and water resistant — get ready to start seeing these in gyms everywhere and they include “an expanded mesh microphone port that improves call clarity in windy situations.”
They still charge via the Lightning connector, but they now come with a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box.
Apple’s new AirPods come just as noise cancellation — long a convenience offered by over-ear headphones from Bose, Sony, and others — has begun making its way to truly wireless earbuds. Sony’s noise-canceling 1000X M3 earbuds cost $229. And Amazon’s Echo Buds, with Bose noise reduction (not full-on cancellation) technology, are about to hit shelves for $129.99. AirPods have seen a meteoric rise in popularity since they were first released, so it’s safe to assume that Apple is about to have another smash hit on its hands.
