At this point, we are pretty much accustomed to seeing people with a stem sticking out of their ears. So, there is really no point for me to tell how I thought the Apple AirPods is fugly. Just as I am accepting that a stem design is here to stay, Apple introduced the third-gen AirPods that has a slightly more stubby stem design.
And you know what? It is actually more pleasing to the eyes. In fact, it looks much like the AirPods Pro, except that the new AirPods 3rd-gen still does without the replaceable ear tips.
But the real change here is under the hood where it is home to the H1 chip and an Apple-designed acoustic system. Combining with computational audio, the new AirPods promised to deliver breakthrough sound with Adaptive EQ.
The new AirPods also supports Dolby Atmos in Apple Music, movies, and TV shows, along with dynamic head tracking, across Apple devices.
Other features include sweat and water-resistant design, a force sensor for easy and intuitive control of music and phone calls, and an extended battery life of up to 6 hours of playtime and up to 30 hours of total listening time with the charging case.
The Apple AirPods (3rd generation) will sell for US$179 when it becomes available on October 26. Pre-order is happening as we speak if anyone’s interested.
The HomePod mini also gets an update. OK. Maybe it is not quite an update, but more like new colors. Beyond the new three new colors, namely, yellow, orange, and blue, the HomePod mini introduced last year remains pretty much the same. Even the price is the same, at US$99. The new colors will arrive at the store, both on and off-line in November.
All images courtesy of Apple Inc.
