In a week where Apple just can’t stop throwing curveballs, the company today announced a whole new pair of AirPods that will be shortly available to purchase. Apple’s AirPods have easily been the companies most popular recent products, so any successor is naturally going to gain some traction.
As far as an “update” is concerned, Apple’s new AirPods don’t really offer too much over the existing ones, in fact battery is where the entirety of the differences lie, other than the new ability to use “Hey Siri”, which is about the only feature you can’t get in some capacity on existing AirPods. We are rather disappointed Apple didn’t release the rumoured Black variant though, but them the breaks;
For those expecting the previous AirPods would be seeing a priced decrease, both, clearly don’t know Apple, and, will be disappointed as the company has retained (more or less) the same £159 retail asking price, though this is for the “newer” AirPods. Where things change, is within the additional options to the sides;
Wireless Charging Case
One additional Apple have brought with the AirPods update is the ability to now purchase a new Wireless Charging Case. This, as expected, for £79, will allow you to continue using your existing AirPods within the new Wireless Charging Case. Apple claim you will be able to maintain the same battery life as prior with the Wireless Charging Case, but with the obvious addition of being able to use the device on any Qi Certified Wireless Charger.
AirPods with Wireless Charging Case
These are the new AirPods. Despite the fact that they look the same, the increased price to £199 gets you Apple’s latest AirPods which, as expected, feature Wireless Charging out of the box, but also the ability to use Hey Siri.
Apple also claim the new AirPods will feature longer battery life and connect quicker using a new H1 Chip, this aside to the W1 chip found in the current AirPods.
Other than that, the AirPods are more or less the same thing, same quality, same goofy design. So, if you liked them before, there’s more to like. But, at the same time, if you didn’t like them before, these won’t change that.