Apple to Debut New AirPods This Year With Handsfree 'Hey, Siri' Voice Command Feature, 'Water-Resistant' Models Coming in 2019

[827538]

I’m skeptical of this report for a couple of reasons:

1. The AirPods are already resistant to water, ie sweat, which is roughly equivalent to “a splash of rain or water.” Does anyone here seriously believe that every time the AirPods get wet you have to replace them? Lol, no.

2. While I could certainly see Apple producing a new and substantially improved AirPod in a couple of years, Apple does not tend to “burn” early adopters so much these days. I suspect it will get updated about as often as the Apple Watch or the Apple TV, for precisely the same reasons: they’ve made such a substantial change that new hardware is required.

As an AirPods owner why would I be 'burned' do my AirPods suddenly stop working when they release a new version? As for the water resistance I do agree, they are pretty immune to sweat it seems but perhaps this is improving on their IP resistance.
I'm all for a new version in 2019 with wireless charging, handsfree Hey Siri and perhaps colour options.

Also typing 'lol, no' makes you look like a basic white girl in Starbucks.

 

[prasand]

My HomePod and iPhone answer to “Hey Siri” at the same time.

Could be something odd in your setup. As I have purchased two HomePods from two different locations, for two separate homes, and in both environments even with multiple Apple users and devices, only the HomePod answers.

Doesn’t work flawlessly though, upon occasion when leaving the room and my iPhone knows to respond, when I return to the room, my iPhone will respond along with HomePod. In such situations I turn my iPhone face down (disables “Hey Siri” on the iPhone), so only the HomePod responds, and when I turn the iPhone face up again, HomePod takes priority again.

Perhaps if you force the HomePod to take priority, it will then work as expected going forward.

 

[Lepton]

My idea was to put two small contacts on the stem, one above the other, to detect up and down finger swipes along the stem. Now you could set volume with a swipe and do other things.

 

[dingle19]

awesome, no itching to buy another set for at least another year. hoping a bigger change for 3rd gen, like the apple watch.

 

[ersan191]

Also: apparently most of you are unaware that the HomePod introduced technology that has all paired devices “converse” about which one is going to answer a “hey Siri” command. I expect to see that refined in future software updates, but HomePod owners are enjoying it already.

This has existed long before the HomePod was released...

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I am deaf in my left ear. I would like to use AirPods but I really don't want to purchase a left one that i can never use. I really wish that I could purchase only a right one or a pair of right ones. Please Apple think about this. In the past Apple was the company that offered Mono playback for people like me and I really appreciate that. That made it possible for me to use any earphones. It was a tremendous breakthrough for me.

You could always buy the pair and sell the left one. There is a market for single buds because people lose them or one bud goes haywire. Apple sells replacements @ $70. So you should be able to get $50. That would get you cost to $100, which is a lot less than a replacement bud + charging case.

 

[Dave245]

The newest Apple product I use on a daily basis is a 2011 iMac and the oldest a 2005 Mac mini G4 both of which are user repairable.
Explain to me how the user is to repair a modern MacBook or iMac without sending it to Apple then being charged almost as much as it would be for a new Mac.

Your not you send them to Apple, I have a 2011 Macbook Pro and a 2012 iMac both of which have never needed repairing because in my opinion Apple make great computers ie Mac’s that last, if there was such a thing as planned obsolescence then surely they restrict software updates and so on, I have the latest Mac OS installed on both. That being said I’m due an upgrade and I’m waiting to see what Apple announce this year before deciding what to buy.

 

[Lilok]

Yeah. Does the same for all my devices. iPad, watch, and iPhone. They use Bluetooth I believe if i remember reading about it so they talk to each other.

Thanks. That kind of baffles me, to be honest. Looks unfinished and buggy :/

Why doesn't it first figure out which device is supposed to answer, BEFORE starting siri beforehand and killing the process? 0_o

Maybe because it would take even more time until she answers...
Because in this current way, if you actually want the iPhone to reply, this would make it a bit "faster" , since it already started the process....that's my guess...

 

[guychicago]

Better sound and noise cancellation and I will be a buyer

 

[roncito]

Thanks. That kind of baffles me, to be honest. Looks unfinished and buggy :/

Why doesn't it first figure out which device is supposed to answer, BEFORE provoking siri and killing the process? 0_o

Maybe because it would take even more time until she answers...
Because in this current way, if you actually want the iPhone to reply, this would make it a bit "faster" , since it already started the process....that's my guess...

Siri on the HomePod is insanely fast and accurate in hearing you. The best way to use “Hey Siri” is to not pause. So for example, “Hey Siri what’s the weather?” Instead of pausing and waiting for it to give you feedback. The watch only responds if you put your arm up and say “Hey Siri”

 

[TheShadowKnows!]

"The new 2018 AirPods are said to come with an upgraded wireless chip that will let users summon Siri using the "Hey, Siri" voice command without having to physically tap the headphones"

Sounds like recognizing two extra words ("Hey Siri") can not be implemented in the current AirPods because they required a new chip (Buy a new pair), since already works with two taps and also recognizes voice, why would two extra words require buying new hardw.. ohh wait... I get it.

Apparently the difference is that this new wireless chip will be parsing speech for the trigger words "Hey Siri", without the wakeup of touch, making the new AirPod completely hands-free. And, while doing so, avoiding its battery drain to no end.

As you, I question TC's unapologetic search for lucre on every nook and cranny, but in this case I see no such thing.

 

[ersan191]

Things I would want from new AirPods:

• MORE VOLUME or better noise isolation - I often can’t hear them when watching a movie on an airplane (though my girlfriend can, might be an ear shape thing)
• Ideally a new design that doesn’t look as silly
• On-device volume controls
• Automatic negotiation with the nearest device when they are turned on (put in your ears), instead of just the last used device.
• Faster and more reliable device switching (sometimes it just hangs and you have to try again and hope it works)
• Better mic noise cancelling for Siri in windy or loud environments
• Wireless charging case included (I assume this will happen)
• Better battery life is always welcome
• “Hey Siri” is probably close to last place unless they can get it working perfectly in windy/noisy environments
• Active noise cancelling would be great but I understand the power requirements might be prohibitive
• Colors besides white

Unless they tick a few of these boxes at once I’m not sure if I’ll be upgrading.

 

[DevNull0]

Yeah cuz Steve never updated the ipod. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_iPod_models

Most of those models are very different from each other. And the earphones didn't change all that often.

This article is talking about airpods. Then airpods that are identical except hey siri. Then airpods that are identical except waterproof. All on a nice 1 year cycle. It takes Apple a whole year to add a minor software feature but they can't waterproof it yet. Then another whole year just to add waterproofing.

It's not about upgrading hardware with new tech. It's about the minimal possible change so they can pretend there's a new model. It's a much bigger investment in marketing than in the actual tech. Read the post right above mine, there's a lot they could do with Airpods. But it's all about marketing buzz and always a "new" version.

 

[ersan191]

I hope they fix the low audio quality when bi-directional communication gets activated.

This is a limitation of Bluetooth - if they have Bluetooth 5.0 they can get around it, but as far as I know it uses more power so they probably won’t.

 

[tkukoc]

Such things are why it seems obvious that there will be a major Siri update. They're pushing Siri too hard when it's lacking, to not update it.

It's going to have to be seriously a major upgrade because she's horrible when compared to other assistants.

 

[ersan191]

My HomePod and iPhone answer to “Hey Siri” at the same time.

They use Handoff to determine when to stop listening, you have done something to disable Handoff on one of the devices - the most common one is turning off Bluetooth.

 

[jonnyb098]

I fully expect once Hey Siri is implemented there will be controls on Airpods very similar to HomePod. Tap each side for volume up or down. Double Tap to skip, triple tap to go back. Much more configuration will be possible. Yes they could do more of that now but Siri is a key selling feature so it has to be tied to a double tap..for now.

I'm hoping they'll also have Airplay which would give a nice bump in sound quality....but I'm not sure how many Android users that would leave out (if they currently use Airpods).

 

[neutralguy]

So excited. Looking forward to getting 4 of these to replace my old ones.

Me too. I am going to buy for the whole neighborhood!

 

[wigby]

With my iPhone, iPad and HomePod already listening for Hey Siri... this is going to cause a bit of a mess, me thinks lol.

Since Siri knows (or can surmise) which device you are actively using and prompting, I don't think it's an issue. Besides, in what situation would you be wearing AriPods and also want to hear music from your HomePod or iPhone?

 

[ersan191]

I fully expect once Hey Siri is implemented there will be controls on Airpods very similar to HomePod. Tap each side for volume up or down. Double Tap to skip, triple tap to go back. Much more configuration will be possible. Yes they could do more of that now but Siri is a key selling feature so it has to be tied to a double tap..for now.

I'm hoping they'll also have Airplay which would give a nice bump in sound quality....but I'm not sure how many Android users that would leave out (if they currently use Airpods).

You can customize the left and right double tap actions on AirPods already. My left side skips the current song and the right side invokes Siri.

They could actually add triple tap support to the current AirPods if they wanted - so I assume that isn’t part of their design plan. Capacitive touch would be great as long as they find a way to avoid accidental touches. Single tap is not used specifically because it’s easy to do accidentally.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Because the path to a trillion dollar company is made on getting the same people to buy the same product over and over again. Get anything perfect in one try and you get a big surge of cash once... but that's it.

I just wonder if it was sweat or water in the Airpods that caused them to short out and almost burn that guy last week.

I am AFRAID to use my Airpods while working out because I SWEAT! I sweat A LOT! I don't want to suffer a burn, or smell the smoke and acrid odors as my $150 amazing Airpods burn through the carpet in my home gym. Nice...

And my wife asked me why I don't use them as much anymore. Hmm...

 

[neutralguy]

Because the path to a trillion dollar company is made on getting the same people to buy the same product over and over again. Get anything perfect in one try and you get a big surge of cash once... but that's it.

Million likes for this!

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

With my iPhone, iPad and HomePod already listening for Hey Siri... this is going to cause a bit of a mess, me thinks lol.

OMG!!! It's like having an Apple TV, Macbook Pro, and an iMac in the same room with a Logitech remote control!

You adjust the volume on the TV, and the iMac, and Macbook Pro start playing music, and the music gets LOUDER! It's CrAzY!!! :-D

 

[SeeHole]

What I'd really like are some soft silicone tipped AirPods. That hard plastic is just too uncomfortable for me.

They are not comfortable and too loose for my wife and I, which makes the sound from them less full. Bummer because we really wanted to like them.

 

[Dominicanyor]

Really I just purchased mine last year.
I believe that Apple should allowed people that just purchased their 1st generation AirPods to swap for the 2nd generation without any cost.