Just once I want Apple to say "we did it because we want you to buy new stuff."
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Apple Explains Why Only USB-C AirPods Pro Support Lossless Audio With Vision Pro
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About what? What are you upset about in the first place?!? You won’t be able to hear the difference. Get annoyed about something else, there are lots of better things to be pissed about today.
They sell 82 million a year and the business is worth 12 BILLION. Not clear what percent of those is Pro but if we are pessimistic and say only 10% its still a runaway insanely successful business.
The Vision Pro will not sell at all...but I am still going to convince my work to let me get one.
5 GHz does not seem like an exclusive feature. Even my cheap Chinese smartphone from 2018 supports 5 GHz.
Comparing devices with WiFi to wireless headphones is pointless. WiFi has used 5Ghz for a long time, headphones haven't so it's not going to have the antennas for it.
No one cares why the Lighting AirPod Pros aren’t able to do lossless, the real question is why can’t the NEW iPhone do Lossless with the new USB-C AirPod Pros?
I remember when features and releases made sense since they worked in tandem, in this case it seems there is so much fragmentation going on within the eco system and it’s super infuriating.
I remember when features and releases made sense since they worked in tandem, in this case it seems there is so much fragmentation going on within the eco system and it’s super infuriating.
Without much context of knowing why you don't feel better, I will just guess and say that with time it won't matter, hang in there bud!
I believe that they are waiting for the next big set of features to release the new AirPods Pro and this doesn't make enough of a difference. However, they also would want one of their most popular headsets to be able to have lossless audio with their new fancy headset for certain creative workflows. It makes sense to me given those considerations.
It is likely also chips in the Apple Vision Pro that are required that are not in the other devices. It is new chips on both sides of the equation. On the AirPods side it looks like the 5GHz is the main factor, but obviously they didn't talk about the other side to know what is required besides 5GHz.
I really doubt that lossless audio is part of the planned obsolescence. One tiny feature, used by a small fraction of the population, doesn't really qualify for that. It is more likely due to Apple wanting to have at least one of their products be compatible with the new headset that supports it for some yet unnamed feature or creative workflow. However, I do agree that Apple intentionally stages features to get people to upgrade consistently. I just don't think it applies to this
Are AirPods Pro gen2 considered old, only because the charging port is different? Wth
It may not be a better chip. May be the same chip with a different antenna being used.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Translation: "The H2 that requires new 💵💵💵 can support lossless while the H2 you already own can't." 
"Yes, Apple has offered Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio since 2004 but we only just decided to work an ability to hear it on AirPods in this new H2, which differs from the existing H2 you already have."
"Besides, you can't be the coolest of cool kids without showing it with this new, slightly different-looking port. Without USB-C, your friends will absolutely know you are using the OLD AirPods. Don't lose your coolest of the cool status."
Now on to that $4 Trillion valuation!!! Buy! Buy! Buy! 💰💰💰
I look forward to the iFixit teardown to possibly confirm that H2 = H2... or not. And if so, some hacker finding a way to make existing H2 support this H2 special feature if possible. 🤪
"Yes, Apple has offered Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio since 2004 but we only just decided to work an ability to hear it on AirPods in this new H2, which differs from the existing H2 you already have."
"Besides, you can't be the coolest of cool kids without showing it with this new, slightly different-looking port. Without USB-C, your friends will absolutely know you are using the OLD AirPods. Don't lose your coolest of the cool status."
Now on to that $4 Trillion valuation!!! Buy! Buy! Buy! 💰💰💰
I look forward to the iFixit teardown to possibly confirm that H2 = H2... or not. And if so, some hacker finding a way to make existing H2 support this H2 special feature if possible. 🤪
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I have no problem with a mid-cycle update especially if it’s better for the same price. However they should change the name and also sell the USB-C case separately. That said, I upgraded because I want one cable for everything lol.
But, then, then folks would say “Just because they say it doesn’t mean it’s a fact. I wish they’d just say ‘We did it to enslave all, er, some of humanity!’”
They shouldn't call them the AirPods Pro 2 then, at least call them 2.5. You might think I'm crazy, but I'm glad I ordered the new AirPods Pro. They should be arriving today, and then I'm selling my Lightning AirPods Pro 2 as soon as I can
Assuming this really is a hardware difference -- which I still don't think is entirely clear at this point -- I feel like it should have been a "silent" feature that people discovered after the fact if they fell into the very limited group that may do so.
Just because the chip supports it doesn’t mean that it includes the 5Ghz antenna and other support hardware. You can do everything in software.
Because it almost surely doesn’t have the range of Bluetooth. I mean, come on, all three are only a few inches apart when used on the vision pro.
LOL. They know the majority are not going to buy this headset, even if it did have wide availability. I have zero interest in even trying it.
Maybe in 10 years when everything we currently own is out of date.
That’s a pretty poor explanation honestly. Makes Apple look worse and not better.
So, AirPod Pro 2nd Generation headphones actually use WiFi for audio and not Bluetooth. Bluetooth is only used for the pairing connection. Similar to CarPlay.
That’s cool as that’s been an extended part of the Bluetooth specification for a long time now.
But why isn’t 2.4ghz capable of lossless? It has more than enough bandwidth.
Why isn’t the iPhone 15 Pro with WiFi 6E support even incapable of lossless with the USB-C AirPod Pros? Surely, its 5Ghz support is robust enough.
So, AirPod Pro 2nd Generation headphones actually use WiFi for audio and not Bluetooth. Bluetooth is only used for the pairing connection. Similar to CarPlay.
That’s cool as that’s been an extended part of the Bluetooth specification for a long time now.
But why isn’t 2.4ghz capable of lossless? It has more than enough bandwidth.
Why isn’t the iPhone 15 Pro with WiFi 6E support even incapable of lossless with the USB-C AirPod Pros? Surely, its 5Ghz support is robust enough.