The long-rumored AirPods with noise cancellation are finally here. The company announced the new AirPods Pro price and shipping date today, and the rumors we’ve been hearing recently turned out to be accurate.
New AirPods Pro price will be $249
The new AirPods feature an in-ear design and active noise cancellation with “superior, immersive sound.” The in-ear design offers improved noise cancellation. The active noise cancellation works with two microphones and “advanced software” which adapts them to ambient noise around the user. The wireless earbuds are also water and sweat resistant with an IPX4 rating.
The AirPods also feature something Apple calls Transparency mode, which allows the user to be still able to hear the environment around them while they listen to music. A slider in the Control Center will enable the user to switch back and forth between Transparency and Active Noise Cancellation modes.
The new AirPods Pro price will be $249, and they will start shipping on Oct. 30. The battery life will be five hours, although it will only last four and a half hours with Active Noise Cancellation mode on.
The AirPods also feature “Hey, Siri” functionality and the Announce Messages with Siri and Audio Sharing features, thanks to the H1 chip.
Ear Tip Fit Test
They come with three sets of ear tips in different sizes, so they should work for people with virtually any size ears.
The new AirPods will also offer what Apple calls the Ear Tip Fit Test to help users select the correct set of ear tips to use with the earbuds. Apple said the AirPods test the quality of the seal when they are in the user’s ears and then identify what the best ear tip size is for them.
The company added that “advanced algorithms work together with the microphones in each AirPod to measure the sound level in the ear and compare it to what is coming from the speaker driver. It takes only seconds for the algorithm to detect whether the user has the correct ear tip or not based on the seal that’s created by inserting the AirPods into the ear.
The charging case also received a redesign
Apple also redesigned the charging case that comes with the AirPods Pro. It’s a little wider and shorter than the case that comes with the standard AirPods, which makes sense because it fits better with the in-ear design. The AirPods Pro are now available to order directly from Apple.
The company also said iOS 13.2 is required to use the new AirPods, so we expect that to roll out this week.
