Apple today revealed its 3rd generation AirPods, a new version of its wire-free headphones that are now ostensibly are the middle child in its earbud family.
The AirPods 3 take some design cues from the AirPods Pro - such as a shorter stem - but don't feature in-ear tips or noise-cancellation. They do however benefit from support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, a feature that was missing on the 2nd generation model. They also feature adaptive EQ, which uses an inward-facing microphone to help adjust sound quality based on their fit.
Apple also says the AirPods 3 will last up to an hour longer than their predecessors, offering up to six hours of music playback per charge or four hours of talking time. A five-minute top-up should get you an hour of battery life, and you'll get 30 hours of listening time before you need to recharge the case. In addition, the wireless charging case is now compatible with MagSafe, meaning it will snap onto the charging puck if you've got one.
A pair of 3rd generation AirPods will set you back $279. You can pre-order from today ahead of an October 26 release date. In addition, 2nd generation AirPods have been discounted to $219, and are sticking around as an entry-level model. Lastly, the AirPods Pro still sell for $399, but now come with a MagSafe compatible charging case.
Alex Choros
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