Apple has announced its third-generation AirPods. These wireless earbuds get an updated design and support the Spatial Audio function. The AirPods will be released next week and cost 199 euros.
The third generation AirPods
Apple is announcing at its Unleashed event that the third-generation AirPods will have a similar design to the AirPods Pro. However, these new generation AirPods do not have silicone eartips and do not support active noise cancellation. The earbuds do get a new driver and an Adaptive EQ function that automatically adjusts equalizer settings depending on the music being played.
The manufacturer also reports that the third generation AirPods offer support for Spatial Audio, just like the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. The associated head tracking options are also supported. The earbuds can also be traced via the Find My network and the new AirPods support the AAC-ELD codec, which according to Apple should provide better voice quality in FaceTime calls.
The battery life would also be improved compared to the previous AirPods. According to Apple, the new generation gets up to six hours of listening time on a single battery charge. The charging case should increase the total battery life to thirty hours. The case supports wireless charging via the Qi standard and MagSafe. The company goes on to talk about sweat and water resistance, although Apple doesn’t share an IP certification.
Users can pre-order the third-generation AirPods starting Monday evening. The earplugs will be released on October 26 and have a suggested retail price of 199 euros.