Apple’s new ANC plugs look like the old ones at first glance. The changes are in the details. An overview.
Apple’s second generation of AirPods Pro is just around the corner: on September 23, i.e. Friday in a week, the first pre-orders should go to customers. The ANC earbuds come with some welcome new features, including improved noise cancellation, a revamped charging case with Find My location, touch controls for volume, and more. Meanwhile, more details about hardware and accessories have been leaked. We provide an overview below.
Lanyards and store
A lanyard for the AirPods Pro 2: Apple has integrated two extra holes in its new charging case for attaching a “carrying strap loop”, commonly known as a lanyard. This should make the case easier to transport. There is currently only one “official” solution that the accessory specialist Incase has developed for Apple. Of the Incase-Lanyard is already available in the Apple Online Store as well as in Apple physical stores and costs a rather alarming 15 euros. However, any other lanyard for cameras, for example, should also fit if the loop is not too thick.
11 percent heavier: The new AirPods Pro 2 charging case has gained weight. Instead of 45.6 grams, it now weighs 50.8 grams. That is more than the weight of an Apple Watch Series 8. However, the earbuds do not weigh any more, even though they contain new components.
Loading via loading puck: Apple now no longer only allows the AirPods Pro 2 to be charged via Qi or iPhone MagSafe, but also using the Apple Watch charging puck. This is practical because you may have to carry fewer chargers with you – or the popular one MagSafe Duo Charger can be used more efficiently. Charging via Lightning cable still works and remains the fastest option.
Personalization in hardware and software
Personalized Spatial Audio: Together with iOS 16, you should be able to set up the listening impression of the AirPods Pro 2 using AI and machine learning as well as the camera of an iPhone. How exactly this works (and whether it really makes sense) is still unclear.
Better plugs: Apple has not only screwed on the ANC and the transparency mode, both of which can now deal with more noise, but also improved the plugs in terms of operation. You can now swipe to change the volume. According to the first testers, this takes some getting used to at first, but then works quite well.
More rubber tips: The so-called Ear Tips have been expanded by Apple with an extra small model that promises a comfortable fit for the AirPods Pro 2 even for people with particularly small ear holes.
U1 on board: Apple installed its U1 chip in the AirPods Pro 2 for the first time – more precisely in the charging case. The ultra-wideband support allows a lost case in the house to be located much more precisely. You can also let the integrated speaker make a noise, which helps when searching.
Lossless and Bluetooth LE Audio: So far there is no information on whether Apple actually uses Bluetooth LE audio for easier connection establishment, multi-device support and less bandwidth consumption. However, it is clear that Apple has not missed any lossless support for its new plugs.
