AirPods Pro are the ultimate wireless earbuds designed by Apple. These compact ‘buds are water-resistant, boast active noise-cancellation, and include beam-forming microphones for calls. The Apple-designed H1 chip inside the AirPods Pro means you’ll never have to bother digging through the Settings menu, instead, the wireless ‘buds will instantly pair whenever you flip open the case and pop them in your ears. If you own other Apple-branded devices, AirPods Pro will automatically switch as you move between them – and switch back to your iPhone when you get an incoming call. These ‘buds cost £239 from your local Apple Store, but unless you want to take advantage of Apple’s complimentary engraving, there are much better deals to be had. Express.co.uk has been scouring the best Apple AirPods Pro deals around right now…
All of the AirPods Pro models in this article are the slightly-tweaked 2021 version of the hardware, which added MagSafe charging support for the carry case. Apple introduced this small change following the reveal of the third-generation AirPods, which include support for Spatial Audio (like the AirPods Pro) and added magnets to the charging case to snap to the MagSafe charger available for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 series. If you don’t have a MagSafe charger, there’s no other difference between the 2021 update and previous versions of the AirPods Pro.
If you’re a Prime member, we’d recommend buying the Apple AirPods Pro from Amazon as you’ll enjoy next-day delivery at no extra cost – and in some areas, you might even be able to bag same-day delivery. Amazon is also known for its brilliant customer service, so if anything goes awry with the delivery and your shiny new ‘buds don’t arrive on time, you can be sure that the support team will find a solution for you.
If you don’t want to buy from Amazon, there are a few other options. For (almost) the same price as Amazon, you can buy the Apple AirPods Pro from Argos. If you’ve got a branch of the high street store near you, you might be able to collect within minutes of placing an order online. For those who can’t wait to get these noise-cancelling ‘buds in their ears to watch movies, listen to music, make FaceTime calls, and more – this could be the best option. Nectar card owners will also be able to earn 567 points when buying from Argos, which can result in money off your next Sainsbury’s shop.
John Lewis has dropped the price of AirPods Pro down to £199, which is a good saving on the £239 you’ll be charged in your nearest Apple Store. However, it’s not quite as cheap as what you’ll get from Amazon and Argos right now. But while it might seem like a no-brainer to head to Amazon, there are some advantages to buying from John Lewis. Most notably, John Lewis doubles the hardware warranty period compared to Amazon, Argos, and even Apple itself! So while you’ll only enjoy a one-year warranty against any issues that crop up when you buy the AirPods Pro from Apple, Amazon, and Argos …those who purchase from John Lewis will be covered for two years. With any luck, these earbuds will last much longer than two years, but John Lewis means you’ll have an extra 12 months without worry compared to the £200 or so ‘buds you’ve bought from Amazon.
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What Are Apple AirPods Pro?
Apple unveiled its first generation of AirPods back in September 2016 alongside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. These ‘buds were designed to solve many of the headaches of Bluetooth headphones, including the hassle of diving into the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone to connect to the device each time you wanted to listen to a song or podcast. And if you wanted to switch to another device, you’d have to start from scratch and pair to the new gadget. The custom-designed silicon inside the AirPods ended all of that palaver.
Flipping open the charging case next to your iPhone for the first time will trigger a pop-up on-screen to pair to your handset. And that’s it. Any other Apple-branded devices associated with the same iCloud account will also be paired at the same time, so you’ll see the AirPods appear in the menu of your iPad, MacBook, and even Apple TV (if you want to watch without the speakers built into your telly or sound system late at night). AirPods will move seamlessly between these devices as they detect that you’re trying to play songs, answer calls, watch movies on different gadgets.
AirPods Pro launched in October 2019 and introduced a more compact form-factor. These ‘buds were also the first to introduce interchangeable silicone tips, which create a better seal within the ear canal than the one-size-fits-all approach employed by the original AirPods. Apple also added an Ear Tip Fit Test inside the Bluetooth menu that uses software to analyse whether you’ve fitted the best tips for your ear shape.
But the biggest selling point of the AirPods Pro was the introduction of active noise-cancellation. This technology leverages the four microphones included in the AirPods Pro to track low-frequency noise – like the rumble of inside a train carriage, the hum of an aeroplane’s engine, or the hubbub of colleagues talking – and neutralise it before it reaches the ear. To do this, AirPods Pro generates a sound that’s phase-inverted by 180-degrees to the unwanted low-frequency noise, which cancels out the original sound. Without the clatter of the world around you, you’ll be able to lower the volume and still hear your favourite podcast, album, TV episode or movie.