I used to resist completely immersing myself in Apple’s famously tight ecosystem.
It wasn’t because of overzealous privacy concerns or any dislike of Apple as a company. I’ve been using the iPhone since 2007. And while you won’t catch me anxiously pacing in front of the Apple Store on release day, I’ve always had a deep admiration for the company’s commitment to refinement across all touch points: hardware, software, aesthetic and value.
It was simply because Sony’s WF-1000XM series was just too good to pass up. It’s no secret that brands like Google and Sony tend to take more risks with software and typically innovate faster than Apple. But no one refines quite like the Cupertino-based company, and in their third generation, it looks like they’ve made the Apple AirPods Pro 3 as perfect as they could.
Frankly, it was also a matter of getting used to the stem design, which I’ve never been a big fan of. While it limits touch controls to play/pause/answer, and still goes, the new Apple AirPods are routinely impressive, particularly when it comes to comfort.
Sometimes I forget I even have these things in
All-day comfort is what every high-end brand strives for. And the public has shown time and time again that they are willing to pay a premium for in-ear buds that don’t start to feel uncomfortable after 3-4 hours. The Apple AirPods Pro 3 feature a slightly shorter stem and a more rounded, angled design. The iterative design change makes a huge difference.
My ears would start to feel a bit of pressure after, say, five or so hours with the previous generation. With these, I sometimes even forget I’m wearing them. I’ve fallen asleep plenty of times with these buds popped firmly into my ears (listening to Apple’s very effective collection of ambient sounds), and have gone to have a morning shower, completely forgetting I still have them in.
When we’re talking about true wireless earbuds, you’d typically want some tips to help create the “perfect seal” for your ears. This helps with both audio and noise-cancelling. Apple has retained the unsealed fit design, which may seem like a compromise on paper, but in practice, it’s fine. I have never used earbuds that sound this good without the “perfect seal”.
As for noise cancelling. It’s not as all-encompassing as Apple’s pricey over-ear headphones, but you’ll easily block out low frequencies when you need. Chatter on the train may squeeze in underneath the music, but maintaining some situational awareness seems to be more important to Apple here.
There’s no official Transparency mode that uses software to amplify external noise, but since you can’t get a full seal, the omission is understandable. Conversation Awareness is much more useful, intelligently lowering volume just enough when you start speaking, enhancing voices around you so you have a clear, hands-free interaction without needing to whip out the phone.
And that’s what many of these features are for. Much like the Apple Watch, the company seems to be introducing more and more features that stop you from having to interact with your phone. This goes against instinct, of course. Big tech is hardly benevolent, yet I feel like Apple is making a concerted effort to help people lessen their screen time. Besides, most of the damage comes from short-form video and rage-bait on social media, not necessarily screen time.
How do Apple’s latest high-end AirPods sound?
Again, it’s impressive that earbuds without a full seal can sound this good, which speaks to just how far Apple has come in terms of software. The AirPods Pro 3 offer much more immersive audio when compared to the previous model, and I would say this is largely credited to the retrained bass response – it’s deeper but is much sharper and clearer than before, moving away from the intensity of, say, Sony or Google earbuds, and towards a more detailed and cleaner soundstage.
Refined adaptive EQ works beautifully. The sound is punchy and energetic when it needs to be, but changes subtly when you’re in a quieter environment. The skin-detect sensor helps tie it together seamlessly, which means I can move through the day much easier without feeling I need to pop these out of my ears.
My mistake, which I’m sure is common, is quickly flicking them into my pocket, rather than the petite charging case. It looks the same, as do the buds, but this case now has solid MagSafe charging, and clicking the buds into place is much more satisfying with its strong magnetic pull. Portability is always important, but just as important is how the software complements usage throughout the day, from the daily commute to the office, to the walk home.
What else works well for the latest Apple AirPods?
Coupled with iOS 5.1, the AirPods put a greater emphasis on Spatial Audio for more than just Dolby Atmos. Yes, having that standard (say, with Apple Music) does make everything sound much better, but upscaling is also very impressive. Any audio source can be converted into more immersive surround sound using the current software, but you can still hear a subtle difference between media that is already spatial versus that which is upscaled.
Find My AirPods now seems to work much better, although the beep that you can trigger in either earbud is still very soft and can be heard (especially if the bud is under something). I do appreciate that you can trigger both buds separately, so it’s now much harder to lose your precious audio device.
Battery life has increased as well, but it’s still rather short when compared with some competitors. I tend to get six hours out of a single charge of both buds, versus four from the previous generation. After that, I usually pop these back into the charging case for 30-or-so minutes before they get me through the rest of the day.
Comfort is key
I fully expected the AirPods Pro 3 to look good, sound even better, and help make interacting with my other devices that much easier (I do love not having to look at the phone to check a notification).
But I wasn’t expecting them to be this comfortable. I’ve never tested earbuds that I can easily wear all day, and not even notice. That’s a game-changer in itself, and I think Apple deserves a great round of applause here; once again, the company has proven that no one can touch them in terms of build quality.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
This feature is based on a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 3 supplied by Apple.
