AirPods – wireless headphones for iOS devices, Apple Watch and Mac

Announced at the September 7th event, Apple will soon roll out high-end wireless headphones called AirPods. AirPods will be powered by a W1 chip designed by Apple to deliver seamless connectivity, improved sound, five hours listening time, Siri assist and much more.

The intuitive wireless headphones will sense when they are in users’ ears to play sound and will pause automatically when taken out. AirPods will bring a smooth and an unconventional listening experience, which will make the wires the thing of the past.

Features

Users will have to tap on the headphones to turn them on. Siri will be activated easily and directly by double tapping on the AirPods, without having to pull out their iPhones to access Siri. Users will be able to command Siri to call a contact, communicate directions, adjust volume or play music by talking to it.

AirPods will automatically connect to all Apple devices running on or upgraded to their respective latest OS versions. All that needs to be done is to open AirPods case close to the device and it will automatically detect and connect. The connection settings will sync via iCloud so users do not have to pair/connect/disconnect AirPods again when switching between devices.

Users will also be able to use AirPods with two devices at a time by choosing AirPods on the desired gadgets, like Mac and iPhone. The sound will switch seamlessly and instantly between devices.

Internals

W1 chip which will not only power the AirPods, it will also manage the headphones battery life. Voice accelerometer paired with dual beam-forming microphones, will detect users’ voice to activate Siri and filter out external noise to focus on users’ voice only.

To control audio and use the microphone, motion accelerometers and optical sensors seamlessly work with W1. They also initiate automatic playback of sound when the AirPods are in users’ ears.

AirPods will be charged in the same case in which they ship. The charging case itself will be charged by a lightning cable. AirPods will provide five hours of listening time on a single charge and up to twenty-four hours of listening time with additional charges, using the charging box. Users will be able to charge their AirPods for only 15 minutes to get 3 hours of listening time. If AirPods are placed next to the iPhone, Siri can also tell their battery life if asked.

AirPods are Apple’s vision of the future where everything that can be wireless, should be wireless. It is a tough step to take but so has been every change in the past like letting go of optical drives or Ethernet ports.

Pricing and Availability

AirPods will be available for $159 in late October. They will be compatible with Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and Mac and require iOS 10, watchOS 3, and macOS Sierra on these respective devices.