Apple’s October launch event has just taken place live from its HQ in Cupertino and one of the biggest announcements is a new pair of AirPods. Yes, fans of these earbuds are finally getting something new and it’s one of the biggest upgrades in years with these music makers getting a refreshed design, improved audio and – most importantly – longer battery life. In fact, Apple is boasting that users will now get six hours of usage on a single charge which is better than anything it’s launched before.
Even when things do run low they can get a fast charge by being placed back in their new case. Just five minutes of charging provides about an hour of music playback which sounds pretty impressive.
Along with that battery boost Apple is also bringing Spatial Audio to its standard AirPods – that’s a feature that was only available to Pro and Max owners in the past.
For those that may not have heard of this technology, Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos give artists the opportunity to create immersive audio experiences for their fans with true multidimensional sound and clarity. This basically makes the sound appears to hit your ears from all directions making things sound much more true-to-life and engaging.
And, for an optimal listening experience with rich detail, the new AirPods also feature Adaptive EQ that tunes sound in real-time based on how AirPods fit in the user’s ear.
Other bonus extras arriving on this next-generation of music makers include better bass, a water-resistant design and a new skin-detect sensor that accurately discerns if AirPods are in the ear — versus in a pocket or on a table — and pauses playback when removed. You can also refill the case via Apple’s MagSafe charging cable.
“AirPods forever changed wireless headphones with their groundbreaking design, incredible sound, and magical experience,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We are excited to introduce the next generation of AirPods, featuring unrivaled sound through Adaptive EQ and spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, along with seamless interaction between Apple devices — making the world’s best-selling headphones even better.”
They are going on sale next month and will cost $179.99 in the US. UK pricing coming soon.
Along with those buds, there’s also a nice upgrade to the HomePod mini with these smaller smart speakers arriving in some fruity colours. That means music fans can now buy the mini in yellow, orange, and blue as well as the usual white and space grey.
They still all still get the same great sound thanks to an immersive 360-degree audio experience and they can be controlled with your voice via Siri.
You can also continue to place two HomePod mini speakers in the same room to create a stereo pair for a richer experience.
These new colours are out next week for the same £99 price as before.