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Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are finally nearing launch, with a release expected later this year. If you are considering upgrading to the new AirPods Pro once they are released, keep reading for a list of five new features to expect.

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In addition to all-new features, the second-generation AirPods Pro will likely adopt some features added to the standard AirPods last year.

H2 Chip

The new AirPods Pro will feature a "significantly upgraded" wireless chip compared to the H1 chip in the original AirPods Pro, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The new chip could be branded as an "H2 chip" given the improvements.

Kuo did not elaborate on what benefits the new chip would provide, but given that the H1 chip powers audio-related functions, the upgraded chip in the second-generation AirPods Pro could result in improvements to sound quality, latency, active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, features powered by Siri, and more.

The upgraded chip could also enable Apple Lossless audio support.

Longer Battery Life

While there haven't been any firm rumors about the new AirPods Pro featuring longer battery life, it's reasonable to expect improvements in this area given that nearly three years have passed since the original AirPods Pro launched.

Apple's standard third-generation AirPods released last year provide up to six hours of listening time per charge, compared to up to 4.5 hours for the current AirPods Pro. Even with active noise cancellation and Transparency mode turned off, the AirPods Pro last up to five hours per charge, which is still less than the third-generation AirPods.

Charging Case Enhancements

The charging case for the new AirPods Pro will be able to emit a sound, making it easier to locate the case when it is lost, according to Kuo. AirPods Pro can already be tracked via the Find My app on an iPhone, but the charging case cannot play a sound.

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It's also likely the new AirPods Pro charging case will have IPX4-rated water and sweat resistance like the charging case for the third-generation AirPods. Currently, only the AirPods Pro earbuds have water resistance and not the case.

The charging case is expected to stick with Lightning before switching to USB-C in 2023.

Improved In-Ear Detection

Yet another feature that the next AirPods Pro will likely adopt from the third-generation AirPods is a skin-detect sensor for more accurate in-ear detection compared to the dual optical sensors in the original AirPods Pro.

Apple says the skin-detect sensor "accurately discerns if AirPods are in the ear — versus in a pocket or on a table — and pauses playback when removed."

Fitness Tracking

In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu reported that the second-generation AirPods Pro would include "updated motion sensors with a focus on fitness tracking," but the report did not provide any further details about the feature.

AirPods Pro are already equipped with a motion-detecting accelerometer, and it's possible that improvements to this sensor would allow for some fitness tracking capabilities, but Apple's exact plans remain to be seen. On a potentially related note, iOS 16 allows the Fitness app to be used on an iPhone without an Apple Watch.

Design and Release Date

Back in 2020, Gurman and Wu reported that Apple had tested a more compact design for the new AirPods Pro that would eliminate the stems below the earbuds, similar to Beats Studio Buds. However, more recent rumors suggest that the second-generation AirPods Pro will not have any significant outward-facing design changes.

AirPods Pro were introduced with an Apple Newsroom press release on October 28, 2019 and launched two days later. The new AirPods Pro are expected to launch by the end of 2022, with September or October the two most likely months for the headphones to be released. AirPods Pro are currently priced at $249 in the United States, although they are frequently discounted by resellers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Article Link: AirPods Pro 2: Five New Features and Improvements to Expect
So Gurman and Kuo speculate...and it gets posted as 'fact'. Whatever.....
 
Soooo it will actual detect it is in my ears from now on? 3 generations later, it might detect it is in the ear canal. Will it finally eliminate the background noise while I am on calls so the other person does not hear a beetle sneezing 40 yards away?
 
Being Apple, once that occurs, start expecting some change for the sake of change with a whiff of minimalism. Expect “improvements” like innovating down to one AirPod instead of two, or removing a charging port, or the introduction of the AirPods mini, whatever that’ll be. :)
Allows you to listen losslessly through the nasal passages.
 
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US Fed Drug Admin announced approval of over the counter hearing aids effect Oct 1, 2022. This has been in the works or lobbying stages for 5 years. The hearing aid industry has ripped off millions for years. I suspect Apple will be the front runner in OTC hearing aids using the new AirPods Pro 2 for their entry level device. I have a set of Beats Fit Pro which are amazing, no stems either. I’ve not bought the stems units because of vanity reasons I suppose. The stems look like broken cotton swabs in the ear, plus the bright white color isn’t my choice. My Beats are black. Apple could easily use clear acrylic housing allowing the wearer’s skin tone to come through. Yes, I know the DSP is problematic green or black or brown and the few wires are copper. Those are so small the wearer’s skin tone would overshadow the components.
 
Why buy it when you can wirelessly charge the case.

Because induction charging requires a larger power brick for the same wattage output. The induction disk is bigger than a charger head. You need a cable to connect the “wireless” disk to the wall.

I don’t see the point of induction charging other than for electric toothbrush.
 
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Because induction charging is requires a larger power brick for the same wattage output. The induction disk is bigger than a charger head. You need a cable to connect the “wireless” disk to the wall.

I don’t see the point of induction charging other than for electric toothbrush.
…I have an 3-in-1 for my phone, watch and AirPods. It’s a place and forget thing. And when I travel, I have the foldable travel wireless charger that I use. It’s a non-issue.
 
I guess I'll not be upgrading. They're already close to perfect, I'd just love precision locating with a U1 chip, and it won't have it. But then even the Apple Watch 6/7/SE with their U1 chips, don't turn this feature on. I feel Apple is making us wait until 2023/24... keep us buying.
 
Beats Fit Pro has pretty much obliterated AirPods in terms of sound quality…remember that? Sound quality? THE driving factor behind a pair of earphones. Miss me with all of the other nonsense.
Yeah, as far as I'm concerned the Beats Fit Pro have all the advantages of AirPods Pro, but they actually stay in my ears and already charge via USB-C. They're AirPods Pro, but better.
 
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Wouldn’t you know it? But by chance Bose has announced it’s 2nd gen of it’s Quiet Comfort ear buds, BT 5.3 compatible with all the latest gimmicks. Dubious timing to be sure on the heels of the AirPods Pro 2 announcement. Now once again it’ll be a choice of this or that or both. It’s going to be interesting what people have to say about both & who prefers what & why.
 
So what did everyone think of the AirPods Pro 2??
Worth getting them compared to the previous gen Pro's or just buy the normal AirPods for the occasional user?
 
So what did everyone think of the AirPods Pro 2??
Worth getting them compared to the previous gen Pro's or just buy the normal AirPods for the occasional user?
I’ve had APP since they first came out 3 years ago. Love them and wear them daily. I like the improvements I see in these new AAPs: better noise control, improved speaker driver, the volume control, and the changes to make them easier to find. I might even get a lanyard for the case. I’ll probably keep the old pair at my office and keep them just for meetings since we now drive into the office to get on zoom. 😊

If you don’t need noise reduction or if you prefer the kind of fit of the regular Airpods, especially if you don’t wear them frequently, then sure save some money and get the regular kind.
 
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