Surprise, Apple just announced its rumoured AirPods Pro earbuds.
These bad boys have a slightly different design to what you’re used to, and we’re quite excited to see how they fare.
They’re also arriving in Australia real soon. This is what you need to know and how much they’ll cost.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/08/sony-wf-1000xm3-truly-wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones-review/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/sony-buds-2-410×231.jpg” title=”Sony Probably Sold Souls To Satan To Make Headphones This Good” excerpt=”Sony recently dropped its latest offering to the sound gods – the WF-1000XM3 truly wireless noise cancelling headphones. This inner-ear music delivery system is a bold move. It’s notoriously difficult to achieve both noise cancellation and great sound quality in non-over-ear headphones. Let’s see if Sony managed to deliver.”]
Apple AirPod Pro specs
The most noticeable difference is the inclusion of eartips – something we haven’t seen on AirPods before.
Each set comes with three sizes, which is because these are the first AirPods that offer noise cancellation.
In fact, the new pods have an Ear Tip Fit Test that will determine which tips will give you the optimal audio experience. Microphones in each AirPod are utilised with an algorithm to compare the sound levels in the ear vs the speaker driver. It then determines which is the best fit for you.
Despite the design change, once they’re in the ear they rock the same kinda-dorky AirPod aesthetic we’ve come to know and love.
You’ll be able to swap between noise cancellation and ‘transparency mode’ by using touch sensors in the stems of the pods. Much like any kind of ambient mode, the latter will allow for some surrounding sound to be heard.
We’re interested to see how this goes in practice since this is also the region where you touch to skip songs and hang up phone calls. Some confusion may ensue.
And if you were hoping to adjust the volume on your AirPods Pro on the pods themselves, that’s a no. You’ll need to use your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.
When it comes to sound quality, the AirPods use adaptive EQ to auto tune the midtones and bass in relation to the shape of your ear.
We’re keen to put these up against Sony’s WF-1000mx wireless noise cancelling earbuds, which were released earlier this year and are god tier in terms of noise cancellation, sound quality and battery life.
The bar is now real high. Will the Airpods Pro measure up?
On the subject of battery, sadly the AirPods Pro isn’t getting a bump, which is disappointing. Like the second generation AirPods you’ll reportedly get 5 hours of playback, which will drop to roughy 4.5 hours if you have active noise cancellation activated.
The wireless charging case gets 24 hours of playback, or 18 hours of talk if that’s your thing.
Other familiar features include Siri, which means you can indeed say “Play Carly Rae Jepsen” and it will do the Lord’s work. Audio sharing and Announce Messages have also made a return.
This time around you’ll also get sweat and water resistance due to the IPX4 rating. That means they can handle some splashes and dust, just don’t dunk them in water.
How much do Apple’s AirPods Pro cost?
Apple apparently wasn’t messing around when it comes to getting these in peoples ears. The AirPod Pros will be available from October 30 and will have an RRP of $399 – which includes the charging case. They’re available to order from Apple’s website right now.
You’ll need iOS 13.2 or later, iPadOS 13.2 or later, watchOS 6.1 or later, tvOS 13.2 or later, or macOS Catalina 10.15.1 or later to use them.