According to Bloomberg, a new generation of Apple’s famous earbuds are in development. While not much is known about the devices so far, there are many improvements we’d like to see with the release of the AirPods 2.
Better Controls
The AirPods 2, like their predecessors, will likely be a compact and convenient way to listen to music. Despite being small and unimposing, the current generation of AirPods does have a few ways in which it can be controlled with a simple tap of the finger. In its current iteration, it’s possible to play, pause, and skip tracks while on the go with the press of a button. However, one major drawback of this generation is that you can only assign a couple functions to each AirPod at a time. With the AirPods 2, Apple has a chance to improve upon the current design by giving us both more ways in which we can use the earbuds as well as more “slots” in order to store specific functions. Bloomberg reports that the AirPods 2 will add Siri functionality as well, which is definitely a welcome addition.
Better Audio Quality
While the audio quality of this current generation is generally pretty good, there’s always room for improvement. With the AirPods 2, Apple could potentially refine the acoustics of their device in order to provide top-tier sound that competes with wired headphones.
The AirPods 2 have two things working against them by default: the Bluetooth connection and the fact that they are earbuds. A large part of the reason that people will use the AirPods 2 is due to their easy setup with the iPhone as well as how small and easy they are to transport. If the AirPods 2 sound quality were to improve, it might actually come close to the acoustics provided by high-end wireless headphones.
In their current iteration, the AirPods 2 are great for exercising and casual listening. Kicking it up a notch with a revamp of the internal workings would be a great way to convince people to upgrade.
Wireless Charging
We already know that wireless charging is coming to more Apple devices, and it’s a near guarantee that we’ll see the technology implemented with the AirPods 2. Apple AirPower will work with the AirPods 2 via a special charging case, which would allow users to just drop the case down on a mat and have it ready and waiting to go when it’s time to head to the gym. While it’s not exactly difficult to use a lightning cable to top the device back up, it’s one less cable to worry about, and the Apple AirPower pad may provide a central hub for easy charging of all things Apple.
Better Design
While many people swear by the Apple AirPods as one of the best and most comfortable wireless earbuds around, the design of Apple’s headphones has always been hit or miss when it comes to fitting all of their users. There’s a decent amount of the customer base that has trouble keeping AirPods in their ears, and refining the design to make sure it’s a comfortable hit regardless of our aural anatomy would be a welcome change.
Perhaps by redefining the design, Apple will be able to convince more and more users to adopt their wireless headphones. We hope that the AirPods 2 takes the opportunity to provide a more comfortable pair of earbuds that works for everyone who buys it.
AirPods 2 Price
With the current generation of AirPods retailing at around $160, they’re on the high end as far as earbuds go. Apple devices tend to get more expensive with each generation, with the wildly successful iPhone X costing over $1000. However, there’s a maximum limit that people will be willing to pay for a device like the AirPods 2. While a powerful phone is viewed as a necessity, the fact remains that there are a wide variety of Bluetooth headphones that work with iOS devices. While they may not be as easy to pair as the AirPods 2, a few extra seconds isn’t very much in the grand scheme of things – giving Apple some serious competition.
All in all, we expect that the AirPods 2 price will be roughly the same as the first generation of Apple’s new headphones.
AirPods 2 Release Date
Now that we have confirmation that the AirPods 2 are in development, the question on everyone’s mind is when exactly we’ll be able to get our hands on Apple’s newest wireless headphones.
It appears that we may have a little ways to go before we see the release of the AirPods 2, with reports suggesting that we may see the new AirPods sometime in 2019. When exactly we’ll see the launch within the year is still up in the air, and as far as we can tell, Apple is still pretty early on in the development process.
We’ll have to wait a little longer before we get more specifics on what exactly will be included in the AirPods 2, but until then, we’re left to our own devices to draw up a wishlist of what we’d like to see from Apple’s impending release.
