If you have come across people with small white objects in their ears chances are they are AirPods. Wireless earphones designed by Apple. They have gone on to be one of the most popular products by Apple. With millions sold and so popular they have even become an internet meme.
So what are they so popular and what makes them so good? I purchased myself a pair of second-generation AirPods a few months back. After using them I have an understanding of why. Some of the reasons are obvious, but others are not so clear until you use them.
Therefore, I want to share the reasons I love my AirPods so much including:
- Them being portable and wireless
- Having decent battery life and easy charging
- Being able to easily switch between my Apple devices
- Hands-free “Hey Siri”
A few of these are offered by other wireless earphones, but some advantages are unique to AirPods. Because Apple design and engineer both them and the device they’re connected with – for example, my iPhone.
Portable and Wireless
Each AirPod is about the same size of the wired earphones Apple includes with iPhone and back in the day, the iPod. But if you think they’re the same thing with the cable cut off you are far from right.
There is an incredible amount of technology packed in such a small product. And despite being so small they produce great sound – remarkably considering they are earphones and not headphones.
AirPods are a one-size-fits-all situation. I find they fit in my ears comfortably, but others have found this to not be the case. And if they don’t fit unfortunately Apple don’t yet offer different sizes. If you are worried about this I suggest buying from Apple directly as they offer 14-day free returns.
Charging and Battery Life
When I am not using my AirPods they are housed inside a small white case. Great for portability, but while inside they are charging as the case too has a battery. Enough to allow the AirPods to charge multiple times over to give 24-hours of music playback.
In terms of battery life, I have found myself to be in a situation where I don’t need to worry. Because almost alwsays the AirPods themselves are fully charged and go on to offer hours and hours of playback. If you are going to listen to music everyday I would expect you to need to put the AirPods and case on charge every 2-3 days.
Charging the case is possible via the same Lighting Cable iPhone uses. But if you want to charge wiressley there is a new Wireless Charging Case for AirPods. And even the option to buy one for your existing AirPods (including first-generation ones).
Integration with Apple Devices
How my AirPods pair and integrate accross all of my Apple devices completely automatically is one of the main reasons I love them so much. Because it takes away the biggest frustration I have with Bluetooth pairing.
When I first opened my AirPods and placed them next to my iPhone I was prompted to connect them to my iPhone with one tap. Upon doing so they were instantly ready to use – not just with my iPhone, but also my iPad, MacBook Pro (Mac), and Apple Watch.
Even better I can easily carry on listening to music or a podcast between devices with automatic switching. And the song or podcast automatically pauses when I take an AirPod out of my ear, or resume when placed back in. One of those “it just works” situations from Apple.
These features take away the biggest frustration I have had with Bluetooth devices. No longer do I need to bother about manual pairing and unpairing or dealing with connection issues. I have also found the wireless range of AirPods to be much more superior.
Hands-free Siri
Another unique feature to AirPods and a result of integrsation with Apple devices is hands-free Siri. Which allows me to perform certain tasks wirelessly by asking Siri, Apple’s voice assistant. One of the newest features to the second-generation AirPods and thanks to a new chip designed by Apple called the H1 Chip.
As an example, I regularly walk my dog while listening to music. Instead of reaching for my iPhone I just need to say “Hey Siri, play the new album by Taylor Swift”. Or something like “Hey Siri, skip”.
It works far beyond just music though. I often send messages to friends by saying “Hey Siri, message [friends name] want to hang out this weekend?”. Or “Hey Siri, remind me about the washing when I get home”.
Overall I have found AirPods to pickup my voice considerably well. Even when running AirPods can pickup my voice, only struggling a little if it is extremly windy. But they do filter out external noise to ensure if hears my voice as accuretly as possible.
Overall
My biggest regret is not buying them sooner. When you start using them you soon realise the unique benefits they have over other earphones. Overall I highly recommend them – and no, they don’t fall out!
AirPods are great for almost every sitation. At home listening to music, taking calls on the go, in the office, on the train, and so on. They are also good during exercise or the gym. But if you do plan on doing high-intensity workouts, or your an athlete, have a look at the new Beats Powerbeats Pro. They are designed for sport, are sweat-proof, and have the same technology as AirPods – as Beats is owned by Apple.
AirPods are priced starting at a recommended retail price (RRP) of A$249.95 and can be purchased from Apple’s online store. Apple is offering free, fast delivery and 14-day returns with all purchases.
