After much speculation, Apple finally debuted its third-generation AirPods on Monday. The announcement came during the company’s Unleashed event , where it also revealed …
After much speculation, Apple finally debuted its third-generation AirPods on Monday. The announcement came during the company’s Unleashed event, where it also revealed a redesigned MacBook Pro that comes in 14- and 16-inch sizes and boasts more powerful new chips. True to the rumors, Apple’s new $179 (£169, AU$279) AirPods (buy them here — with free case engraving) have a lot in common with the high-end AirPods Pro. The stems are shorter and the earpiece is shaped more like the AirPods Pro’s, except it retains the older model’s open design rather than changeable tips. (Here’s the $15 AirPods accessory we swear by.) The AirPods 3 also come with spatial audio support and water resistance unlike the standard AirPods, which Apple will still sell at the lower price of $129 (£119, AU$219). The new earbuds are available for preorder immediately ahead of their launch next week. The main difference between the new AirPods and the AirPods Pro continues to be active noise cancellation, which is still exclusive to the $249 (£239, AU399) AirPods Pro. So far, the new earbuds seem like a middle ground between the basic AirPods and AirPods Pro, but we’ll know more once we’ve had the chance to try them. Here’s a breakdown of how the third-generation AirPods and the AirPods Pro compare. And here’s what to know about trading in your old AirPods, in case you’re wondering. Read more: Apple event recap: AirPods 3, new MacBook Pro, HomePod Mini and everything announced If the new AirPods look familiar, that’s because they borrow a lot of design cues from the AirPods Pro.
