The first Apple-branded Bluetooth headphones are now available. After several delays, the AirPods can now be ordered in the Apple Store online and in physical stores. Apple's commitment to wireless is already more than consolidated and the AirPods are a reflection of this. A product that combines technology, design and, for the first time in a while, brings back the magic of Apple. The «It just works» (It just works) recovers all its meaning in new headphones that will not be as complex or important as an iPhone or an Apple Watch, but that impress from the first moment.
Minimalist to the extreme
Apple wanted to make a simple product to the maximum, and it has succeeded. It is striking that there is no logo on the headphones, or on its charger case. Only the small text on the back "Designed by Apple in California" reminds us that we are in a product of the apple company. The whole set is made of Apple's classic white polycarbonate, a material that seems relegated to accessories now that aluminum is flooding its shelves, but which I personally love.
The size is ridiculously small, considering the sheer amount of tech that this accessory includes. Little bigger and thicker than a 42mm Apple Watch and smaller than the case of previous EarPods, the box with the AirPods inside can be carried in any pocket, no matter how narrow the pants are. And the idea is that these AirPods are always with us to be able to use them daily, at any time, either with our iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch.
More than enough autonomy
It is one of the main weaknesses of wireless headphones. How many times have you picked up your Bluetooth headphones to go for a run or a walk and found them discharged? This should never happen to you with AirPods, since the case that stores them is its charging base, with enough battery to fully charge them up to 5 times.. Up to 5 hours of autonomy on a single charge, and more than 24 hours using the charge stored in the charger case guarantee that you can use your AirPods as long as you want until you get home. And if you run out of battery while listening to music, with just 15 minutes of charging in the case you will have 3 more hours of autonomy thanks to the fast charge that they incorporate.
The connector of the case-charger is Lightning type, how could it be otherwise, and the box includes a USB to Lightning cable with which we can recharge the batteries of our AirPods, iPhone and iPad. Apple has resisted implementing USB-C in this new accessory, something logical if we consider that the product for which it is mainly intended lacks that connectionr. We will have to wait for the iPhone 2017? includes the USB-C to see it also in the AirPods.
There are different ways to check the remaining battery of our AirPods and of the case-charger itself. Just by opening the small box of the AirPods with the iPhone nearby we will see a window in which the different charges of each element appear, and we can also check it from the Notification Center if we use the battery widget, where the battery of the Apple Watch and iPhone. If we are using it on Mac, the remaining charge will also appear by simply pressing the volume control icon on the top bar.
Automatic setup
The magic of these headphones begins from the first moment you open the box that contains them. Your iPhone will detect that they are nearby and With a simple press of a button on your screen the AirPods will be linked not only with the Apple phone, but they will also be ready to work on any device share your same iCloud account. You will not need to repeat the process with your iPad, Mac or any other Apple device, because it will be ready to go. Did I say any device? False, because inexplicably the Apple TV at the moment does not share this automatic configuration, something inexplicable and that we hope will be solved with a simple software update.
The Apple TV currently suffers the same fate as any other non-Apple device: compatible but without magic. You can link the AirPods to any device compatible with Bluetooth headphones, whether Android or any other system. To link it you must press the button on the back of the box and repeat the usual procedure with any headset of this type.
Sound quality good, but not great
It is undoubtedly one of the most controversial points of these headphones. Those who claim that for that price (€ 179) there are headphones with higher sound quality than AirPods are right, and if this is the feature you are looking for in headphones, these are not your goal. But we are talking about headphones that combine technology and sound in a really small size, with an enviable autonomy. resting on its charger-case. If we put all the elements together, we will not find a similar product on the market at that price, and that when we talk about a company always associated with expensive products such as Apple, it is at least surprising.
But make no mistake, we are talking about headphones with good sound quality. It has been said many times that the quality is the same as that of the Lightning EarPods, which is flatly false. AirPods sound better than EarPods, their wired variant. It is noticeable especially in the bass, and it shows in that you can hear nuances of the music that with the EarPods you do not perceive with the same clarity. Compared to other wireless headphones that I have, the quality is superior, including the Plantronics BackBeat and The Dash headphones from Bragi.
Active noise cancellation managed by the W1 chip works quite well, and although the headphones do not completely seal the ear canal, listening to music in noisy environments is not a problem, without having to raise the volume and thus taking care of the health of our ears. Another notable aspect is the hands-free function, with a good microphone that captures your conversation well even if it is far from our mouth, even in noisy environments.
More magic: switch devices with one click
The magic of the AirPods is not limited to its configuration, which after all is something you only do once, but you will notice it day by day when using them with different devices. Changing from one device to another is simple, as simple as opening the audio options of the device in question and choosing your AirPods. Forget about the tedious task of deactivating the Bluetooth of a device to be able to link like the other, having to reconfigure the connection ... None of that is necessary because the change is fast and almost transparent to the user. It is especially noticeable with the Apple Watch, with which it will not be necessary to choose the AirPods, because once they are connected to the iPhone they will also connect to the Apple Watch.
Physical controls? Siri is your friend
This is one of the points to improve by Apple: the controls. Currently we can only choose between Siri or the play / pause options by double-tapping on the AirPods. A pity that the sensors of these headphones have not been used more to be able to raise and lower the volume or go through the song without having to resort to Siri. You can do everything thanks to Apple's virtual assistant, but there are situations in which talking to your virtual assistant is not a possibility, or it is very strange. And if you don't have an internet connection, forget about being able to use those Siri controls.
After using headphones like The Dash for a while, I really miss those touch controls or head gestures. At this point we are still not very familiar with Siri in the most basic tasks, and although it may be something common to go down the street and hear people talking to Siri or Cortana for a while, it is strange at the moment. Fingers crossed that Apple fixes this with a simple software update, because the potential is there.
Magic and technology at a reasonable price
Apple AirPods mark the birth of a new product with great potential and that in its first version has great qualities, such as its autonomy, its ease of configuration and handling, its good sound quality and its compact design. With all this, the price of € 179 seems more than adequate for a product of this type, especially when we see the higher prices of the competition with products, in most cases, lower in benefits. The AirPods will undoubtedly mark the way forward for many manufacturers from now on, it is the first step towards the complete absence of cables in our devices.
You have lacked the detail of the microphone that is terrible ... I have used them for calls and they heard me quite bad, the noise cancellation is very good, but the microphone is not ... I do not know if this with an update could solve it Apple, I hope so, because all the good that he has is overshadowed by his microphone
It doesn't seem that bad to me. I have used it as a hands-free and those who called me did not complain about the quality. The other day I recorded the podcast with the AirPods (Podcast 8×15 of Actualidad iPhone on our YouTube channel) and for headphones they weren't bad.
Hello, good note! Question: what happens to the battery management if you use only one? Many times it is necessary to have only one in the ear and leave the other free. Then when you use both again, the one you used the most runs out of battery before? And the one that you left stored in the box is charged the same even if the companion is in use ?. Thanks for the reply. Greetings
Every time you put the headphones in their box they charge. If you only used one, only that one will be charged. In that sense they are independent and even the iPhone shows you the battery of each of them
Luis, I do not know if with that delay they have suffered they have managed to solve the issue that you lose one or both airpods. Has Apple integrated some type of auditory signal to locate them in case of loss?
No, you just stop listening to the music if one falls. All Apple has done is tell you how much a loose headset will cost you: $ 69. We are waiting for you to update the price in Euros on the Spanish website
Well, if nothing happens, mine will arrive tomorrow, but I still have a doubt whether to be able to use them, it is necessary to carry the loader box always on top…. Tomorrow I will leave doubts ...
Not at all, once the link is established you would not need it, just to recharge them.
Poof honestly I see it a tacky, I see it even strange since it seems that you are wearing a giant earring. and on top of that, keep them in the box that you have to load them, I'm sorry. You have looked at yourself in the mirror fixedly so that you see what is wrong. and on top of that, radiofrequency stuck inside the brain all the time. I do not know I do not only see drawbacks. because of how expensive they are, how easy it is to lose them, and they do not add anything new. old headphones no longer did. you go running with them and if you drop one you pick it up on the spot
Greetings Luis, thanks for the note. At what maximum distance from the device do the AirPods work properly?
Well, it depends a lot on the obstacles you find, but 50 meters without problems unless there are many walls in between
They are great! I was surprised by the quality of the sound they have, since, we are not talking about those with a headband and pad, they sound very good for what they are! The microphone in calls goes well that works and even in places with a lot of noise and people, at first you look strange with these 2 white sticks in your ears, but like everything, people will get used to them, what's more, even fashion you see yourself walking and hear the occasional giggle and comments of "ohhh, he brings the apple headphones
…… As for leaving one, I prefer better to have the 2 seats, since that way you hear the calls well, I mean, they are too expensive to serve as simple hands-free! A matter of taste and as to whether they are easily thrown away , nope, they do not fall, no matter how much you jump, nope, claaaaro, you do not have to be so extreme either, that if someone throws you or you bump into someone, probably yes, but hey, there are times that you lose even your shoes from a fall And as for the distance, I have reached up to 15 meters without any connection problem happening! They are very good and highly recommended! Even for the distracted like me, we lose everything! You leave them in your ears and the charging box in your pocket and that's it! It's a matter of getting used to it! I tell you! They are sooo great! I mean, they are very sweet and therefore, they must be up to the task!
I'm delighted with my BEATS SOLO3… I'm speechless !! I see and read that I must (I DON'T THINK!) be the only one.
The Solo3s include the same W1 chip as the AirPods, so the "magic" is the same, but they are in a different category. They are great headphones also with very good opinions.
I would like to know if they work with an iPhone 4s. Thanks.