On September 7, with all eyes on new iPhones, Apple also had new headphones to share to the world. Hot on the heels of plenty of rumors, the new wireless AirPods are now official.
At this year’s September event, Apple took the curtain off the brand new wireless headphones, officially known as AirPods, that will help future iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus owners listen to music completely wirelessly. The reveal of truly wireless headphones isn’t that big of a surprise, considering the Rumor Mill was more than adamant about their existence, and also the expectation that Apple would be dropping the 3.5mm headphone jack turning out to be true.
One problem with Bluetooth headphones in the past was a slight delay in sound transmission between video on the screen and sound being heard in your ears, but AirPods eliminate this problem with the W1 technology, which ensures constant and reliable transmission of sound.
The AirPods are feature packed. There are sensors that can reduce external noise. Each AirPod has five hours of listening on a single charge. There’s an AirPod case that provides up to 24 hours of life. It’s easy to switch to any Apple device, from the iPhone to the MacBook, to even the Apple Watch.
The AirPods also include sensors to know when they are in your ear, so they won’t start playing until you’re ready to listen.
To connect them, just open the box next to an iPhone or the Apple Watch, and the AirPods will connect automatically. No additional steps. The AirPods use iCloud, too, so there’s one-step setup across devices. You can use one to make a phone call or talk to Siri. The AirPods also include touch-based controls, so just tapping on the AirPod can activate Siri.
The W1 chip makes this possible. There’s dual-accelerometers, beam-forming microphones, built-in battery, and much more. Lightning cable will charge the case and the AirPods when they’re in the case.
Beats is launching new products, including the affordable Beats X, the PowerBeats Wireless for workouts, and the new Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones with up to 40 hours of listening.