AirPods get a new look

Shorter stems, spatial audio, and Adaptive EQ

Apple’s AirPods are undoubtedly popular, but their long stems have always marked them out as being different from the high-end AirPods Pro, which possess somewhat stubbier stems. Now, AirPods have been given an overhaul, bringing them much more in line with their premium cousins in terms of design.

With AirPods in your ears, it is now hard to tell them apart from AirPods Pro. The alterations become more apparent at the other end of the earphones. Instead of the silicone tips of the AirPods Pro, AirPods stick with the tried-and-true plastic end.

It is slightly redesigned, however, pointing downwards instead of perpendicular to the device’s stem.

The lack of silicone tips means there’s no active noise cancellation, but the new AirPods include spatial audio, which places sounds all around you as you listen. And there’s also Adaptive EQ. This uses spatial audio algorithms and directional audio filters to tune whatever you’re listening to depending on how AirPods fit in your ear. The idea is it automatically gives you the best sound output regardless of your ear shape and how AirPods sit in your lugs.

Apple also says it has included a new ‘skin-detect sensor’ in the new AirPods that will pause the music when you remove the buds from your ears, but will not be affected when you rest them on a table or place them in your pocket.

Listen for longer

And as with any wireless headphones, battery life is a key consideration. Here, Apple says the refreshed AirPods add an extra hour of battery life over their predecessors, giving you six hours of music or four hours of talking on one charge. The wireless charging case can be used to top up your AirPods an additional four times. Powering up AirPods for five minutes gives about an hour of playback, and the case now works with MagSafe, too.