AirPods Pro 2: Six New Features If You're Upgrading

[aberdeenmeadows]

It's meant to be used with an iPhone. So why would they add USB-C to the case when the iPhone doesn't have it? That's just pointless.

I is alleged that in the future iPhone will have to have USB-C. Regardless, I have managed to switch 98% of my charging devices to USB-C - even my current iPhone 14 comes with a Lightning to <gasp> USB-C charging cable that goes into a <gasp> USB-C brick.

I pretty much try to do away with buying devices that aren't USB-C - as of now, the iPhone, my third-party rechargable mice, Apple Mouse, and Apple Keyboard aren't USB-C - my iPad is USB-C

 

[BobVB]

Eh?

One of its selling features is switching between Mac, iPhone and iPad.

All but one use USB-C.

It will probably have a lightening to USB C cable.

 

[Tagbert]

All I want are AirPods with a way to replace the batteries. Having to throw away a device that functions absolutely fine except for the battery every 3-4 years is horrible for the environment and expensive.

While I agree that it is not a good thing that the batteries are not replaceable, I do think that the environmental impact should be kept in mind relative to other products.

If you keep AirPods 3-4 years and they have a small mass (AirPods (each) 0.19 ounces (5.4 g) Charging case 1.61 ounces (45.6 g)). Compare that to a phone that you might keep for twice as long and has a mass of 6.07 ounces (172 grams). That is 30 times greater. You are not keeping that phone 30 times longer. Similar story to a laptop where the mass is 2.7 pounds (1.24 kg). That is 240 times the mass of the AirPods Pro. Let's not even look at the numbers for an automobile or for other electronic devices. Once you get beyond electronics, the comparisons become more complex but even there, clothes, home, food, etc all have environmental costs that we accept.

The AirPods are small and contain extremely tiny components. I'm not sure how Apple would engineer them to make the batteries replaceable without making them larger, more fragile, or otherwise compromise them. Yes, I would like them to eventually figure out a way to do so or find a battery tech that can endure much longer, but I am not going to avoid buying them or feel too bad about it when I do.

 

[CraigJDuffy]

The AirPods themselves aren't serviceable, they aren't replacing the battery, but replacing the whole unit. The AirPod may then be recycled - however how much is actually recycled is not known, and it is an energy intensive process.

There is no debate here, a replaceable battery is much better for the environment than replacing a dead AirPod with a brand new unit while also having to recycle the old one.

I’m not disagreeing with that. I’m disagreeing with it resulting in the end user having to replace the device at the cost of an entirely new unit.

 

[rileyes]

You just have unrealistic expectations. They improved all the basics (sound quality + battery life + anc) and they address the biggest issues people had with the originals (findmy for the case, physical volume control, smaller tips, and even a layard to make carrying easier.). Its almost the perfect upgrade for this type product. Yes they look the same.. but so what?

Everything you mentioned are incremental updates that could have been done 2 years ago. Nothing you said refutes any point I made. In fact, you make my argument for me by listing all the trivial updates. These 2nd gen airpod pros are coming out just a month shy of 3 years after the originals. 3 years. It's not an unrealistic expectation to think the most valuable company in the world could accomplish a bit more than this in 3 years. 3 years for smaller tips? 3 years for volume control? I mean it's almost comical. Seriously, Apple is the most valuable company in the world, the most valuable company that has ever existed. 3 years. Smaller tips. a Lanyard.

General improvements to sound, battery, and anc would always be expected of any next generation ear bud release, so I don't really see how they can get points for almost the bare minimum required for any new version. No colors, no reduction in the stem size. 3 years. Biggest company in the world. 3 years.

 

[Tagbert]

Maybe it's just me, but I feel more and more disillusioned by Apple releases each year. Everything they do just seems iterative and carefully planned slow drip to maximize profit. I realize they are a business, but they seem to have lost a real innovative spark over the years. Yes, everything is well made, everything is polished and works seamlessly within their ecosystem. But, nothing they release is ever a big leap forward anymore. I guess you could argue that this is the state of a mature industry now, except you see other companies making big leaps, taking bigger risks to release untested ideas, and Apple over here just continuing to roll out incremental enhancements like clockwork, waiting to copy their competitors only if they think something is working in the market.

What we got with this release? Visually, same AirPod Pros as the previous version. So, no shorter stem. No black or other colors. Internally, it apparently has improved battery and better noise cancelling. I mean that's great, but after multiple years since the previous version, and that's all they could do?

At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, does anyone else feel like the ANC performance on the AirPod Pro 1's gradually declined with each firmware update over the years? I remember it was REALLY good at first, and now I'd say it is average as far as ANC on earbuds goes. And then, here we are, with a new release of what otherwise is practically the same AirPods with some minor tech upgrades that all of sudden provides double the ANC performance.

In any case, I'll buy the new ones if I'm forced to replace my previous gen, like if I lose an ear bud or something stops working, but otherwise I would call this a dissapointing release considering the amount of time between the release of the previous generation and these.

Besides the other improvements that Thisismadness listed, Apple also gave us direct volume control via those stems that are apparently still there for a reason.

Sure there are not radical changes each year. Those kinds of changes have never happened every year and most often during the initial years of a new product. Once a product matures there are not really that many large changes needed. What other changes would you want to the APP? You mentioned colors which sounds like a very iterative change. You mentioned shorter stems, but Apple is now making use of those stems for volume control. I don't think that they are going away soon.

Regarding ANC, when the APPs first came out, a number of people complained that it made their ears feel like they were full of water. Apple released an update that reduced the strength of the ANC to compensate and make those people feel better. Unfortunately for many of us that made the ANC weaker than we would want. I'm hoping that this new version can do a better job of balancing comfort vs ANC to give us the true noise reduction that we wanted. In particular I want better microphone ANC.

 

[umbilical]

These will be my first airpods ever.

same here but when down to $169 or something like that haha

 

[thislsmadness]

Everything you mentioned are incremental updates that could have been done 2 years ago. Nothing you said refutes any point I made. In fact, you make my argument for me by listing all the trivial updates. These 2nd gen airpod pros are coming out just a month shy of 3 years after the originals. 3 years. It's not an unrealistic expectation to think the most valuable company in the world could accomplish a bit more than this in 3 years. 3 years for smaller tips? 3 years for volume control? I mean it's almost comical. Seriously, Apple is the most valuable company in the world, the most valuable company that has ever existed. 3 years. Smaller tips. a Lanyard.

General improvements to sound, battery, and anc would always be expected of any next generation ear bud release, so I don't really see how they can get points for almost the bare minimum required for any new version. No colors, no reduction in the stem size. 3 years. Biggest company in the world. 3 years.

We're talking about earbuds, there just isn't much room to grow here.. no matter how rich the company is. This isn't some bleeding edge technology where there is going to be revolutionary new features. General improvements and addressing weaknesses is exactly what they should be focused on. Its telling that in the entire time you've been complaining the best examples you can offer are different colors and shorter stems -- those aren't even incremental improvements they're entirely superficial. Unless we're suppose to believe color coordinating airpods with shoes is some breakthrough in earbuds.

 

[CarlJ]

The new second-generation AirPods Pro will begin arriving to customers on Friday, September 23. For customers still using the first-generation AirPods Pro or older AirPods models, there are several new features and changes you can look forward to using.

What the... all of the features you mention are nice, but unless I'm misreading, you have entirely skipped the biggest new feature:

• Ability to control the volume directly on the AirPods Pro

 

[msackey]

Am I correct that there is actually no Apple lanyard, but just the loop available for a lanyard to latch on too? Apple doesn’t make a lanyard and rather users would have to rely on third-party options?

 

[msackey]

Apple will battery service AirPods Pro for $49?

Yes, I think so. However, I think instead of actually replacing the batteries, I think they replace it with reburbished units. So in terms of our ecology, I’m not sure it helps that much.

 

[Tagbert]

Am I correct that there is actually no Apple lanyard, but just the loop available for a lanyard to latch on too? Apple doesn’t make a lanyard and rather users would have to rely on third-party options?

that is correct

 

[ledbylight]

The personalized spatial audio thing is very interesting, I’ve never heard of headphones doing anything like it before. Looking forward to the reviews.

They have this on the current pros/max’s, I used it in the iOS 16 beta. Watching tv with my AirPods Max is a GAME CHANGER-everything is placed perfectly, and bass sounds like it’s coming from a home theater system. It’s quite literally unreal.

 

[cubbie5150]

Thinking hard about making the APP2 my first TWS purchase. My use case is strictly with my MBP for things like video consumption (Youtube, Netflix, etc.) and occasional Zoom video conference calls (I'll be listening, not talking). I would *very* seldom use with my iPhone. I'd like to be able to move about a little without carrying my MBP with me.

The only "concern" I have when it comes to my use case is whether I have to worry about audio lag/syncing issues between video and audio. I need to do some homework here, but happy to do so as I'm beyond ready to ditch my wired earbuds and IEMs for this use case.

 

[svish]

Longer battery life along with improved sound quality! Makes it a good upgrade.

 

[_Spinn_]

I really like the upgrades that the case got.

 

[Phampton]

Features sound promising but still no USB-C charging case?

I'd be happy with no charging socket. I can't remember ever plugging my existing AirPod case in to charge it

 

[CraigJDuffy]

I really like the upgrades that the case got.

Yeah, I wish they sold the case separate like older AirPods Pro.

 

[dfwiddoc]

It's meant to be used with an iPhone. So why would they add USB-C to the case when the iPhone doesn't have it? That's just pointless.

Explain? What does the Air Pods charging case power input have to do with the lightning port on the iPhone? There are no lightning to lightning cables—the Air Pods connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth, and they’re designed to be utilized with iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs as well as iPhones. I don’t get your “pointless” assessment at all, no offense!

 

[dfwiddoc]

Personalised Spatial audio works with the original AirPods Pro also. It works well for me with a noticeable improvement.

How did you set up personalized spatial audio on your 1st gen? I’m running the iOS 16.1 beta and I don’t see the option in my settings. I can turn it on but it doesn’t allow me to take ear measurements as it will with version 2; I have no clue what enabling it does for version one without a measurement profile—I suspect nothing. Besides, the personalized feature is designed to take advantage of the new version’s increased array of microphones, sensors and sound driver architecture…

 

[MacBird]

How did you set up personalized spatial audio on your 1st gen? I’m running the iOS 16.1 beta and I don’t see the option in my settings. I can turn it on but it doesn’t allow me to take ear measurements as it will with version 2; I have no clue what enabling it does for version one without a measurement profile—I suspect nothing. Besides, the personalized feature is designed to take advantage of the new version’s increased array of microphones, sensors and sound driver architecture…

The setup option popped up automatically on my iPhone when I used the first gen AirPod Pros.

 

[dfwiddoc]

I know this is a stretch here, but AirPods 1 and 2 had a stem battery. If they thicken the stem just a bit on the pro and relocate the battery to the stem they could probably keep a similar form factor and the force touch stem. Thread the stem and then the battery can be swapped out.

And that extra bulk would benefit the three people out there who would want to fuss with this, and who are actually dissatisfied with the increased battery life on the new version. What other Apple device employs user-replaceable batteries? One of Apple’s stated values, successful or no, is on sustainability and a decreased ecological footprint—disposable batteries would be regressing back a couple of decades.

Besides, the amount of play time one would get with tiny disposable batteries would likely be a few hours—this idea makes sense to no one ever.

 

[dfwiddoc]

They have this on the current pros/max’s, I used it in the iOS 16 beta. Watching tv with my AirPods Max is a GAME CHANGER-everything is placed perfectly, and bass sounds like it’s coming from a home theater system. It’s quite literally unreal.

Sony has been doing it for their WH-1000 series for years, for their own 3D Audio equivalent. Their measurement profiles will port into Tidal and other music streaming sites for use with their own Atmos catalogs. Apple is just catching up for their own music store and ecosystem.

 

[SanderEvers]

Explain? What does the Air Pods charging case power input have to do with the lightning port on the iPhone? There are no lightning to lightning cables—the Air Pods connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth, and they’re designed to be utilized with iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs as well as iPhones. I don’t get your “pointless” assessment at all, no offense!

Exactly like I said, they are designed so you can charge them with the same cable you charge your iPhone. That is my point. If you carry them with an iPhone you only need one cable. Also all Mac accessories* from Apple are still USB-C to Lightning. Same goes for the Apple TV (Remote still uses lightning) and the base level iPad.

* Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad

 

[Robin Chee]

With my Airpod Pro 1, often one ear would fail to be detected, and the noise cancellation would not work well or no sound. I order the new Airpods Pro 2 because of the new skin sensor, and hopefully better reliability in detecting my ears. I'm happy enough with the other new features. Don't really miss USBC. Magsafe will work well for me.