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I do not think I need to praise the virtues of the AirPods in 2019. More than two years after their debut, Apple's truly wireless headphones, in addition to providing users with a convenient and transparent way to stream music and podcasts in their ears, have become a cultural phenomenon that has sparked some of the greatest memos of Twitter Tech in recent history. Everyone loves AirPods – as long as their size and design are unique adapt to their ears – and above all, everyone loves say how much they like their AirPods.
This article is no different, but the usual narration makes me write this story after receiving my second-generation AirPods yesterday.
In recent months, I had to live with AirPods that were not functioning properly. As I noted on the Connected podcast a few weeks ago, I started noticing the first problems with battery life: when my AirPods were new and good in their first year from use, I could listen to an entire episode of Upgrade or Cortex (usually 90 minutes) without hearing the terrible battery chime of the AirPods; Earlier this year, one of the AirPods (the good one) could not even survive for 30 minutes listening in podcast without telling me that his battery would soon be exhausted. Then the problem got worse: a few weeks ago, my original AirPods (which I had purchased as soon as they were released in December 2016) began to randomly disconnect from the iPhone while working and listening to podcasts or music. when they reconnect, the good AirPod just refuses to play audio or at very low volume. Finally, I accepted the fact that my AirPods had been overused during their two year life and that, like others, I just had to wait for new ones. I had to work while wear big Sony headphones on the ear Let me tell you that these devices were not designed for high intensity interval training. It was, to say the least, unpleasant.
There is not much to say about the physical appearance of the second-generation AirPods, which I ordered as soon as Apple announced them sneakily via a press release last week. The AirPods themselves look the same as the first-generation model; the case, which I've bought in the wireless charging version, has a tiny LED indicator to communicate the state of charge and pairing to the outside – effectively, the only visible difference from the original AirPod case.
What I noticed during my first 24 hours with the new AirPods was how much I missed the perfect AirPod experience; At the same time, I've also begun to appreciate the new convenience afforded by the extra cut of the cables that connect the AirPods to the iPhone – both physically and conceptually.
The first thing I realized while listening to my workout mix is that my old AirPods have not been playing audio at full volume for quite some time. These new AirPods are noisy, but not because they are actually stronger than the first-generation model. I think it's because my old AirPods did not work at full capacity without my knowledge. Because of this, the audio quality of the second generation AirPods gives the impression of a considerable upgrade, even if on paper this is not the case. Once again, I am impressed by the sound that Apple has managed to incorporate into such a small and unobtrusive design.
I do not consider the AirPods as a comparable alternative to my favorite ear-worn earbuds, but they still work better than some sports-oriented headphones that I've tried in the past, and use second generation model reminded me. Of course, some are already wondering if the new AirPods sound better than the old ones. My first reaction is that they seem to sound "better" because the old ones have slowly degraded over time. Which, I suppose, is something that happens naturally when dealing with such small lithium-ion batteries. I agree with the gradual degradation of my original AirPod, considering my daily use, in cold and hot weather, during exercise or housework in the house, since December 2016 .
Siri is the best place where the new AirPods sound objectively better than the old ones. On the original AirPods, invoking Siri (either by a gesture or by calling "Hey Siri" on a paired iPhone) usually involved a small delay and the voice of the assistant was robotic and of bad quality. Siri on the original AirPods sounded as if it was coming from FM radio. It was not a good experience and far from the human voice of Siri on iOS 12 and the HomePod. The second-generation AirPods natively support "Hey Siri," which means that the activation is instantaneous and that Siri's voice is perfectly clear, just like on the iPhone. For the first time since Apple's launch of the AirPods at the end of 2016, you get the impression that Siri himself, and not a poorly-released version, is in your ears. Thanks to these improvements, Siri becomes a fundamental part of the AirPod port and I already see a change in behavior when I ask questions that require a response from the assistant.
Since yesterday, I've been using Siri to listen to songs from Apple Music, record glasses of water with my hydration shortcut, view my calendar in Reminders, and start workouts on Apple Watch. All of these actions had already been supported with the original AirPods, but Siri is faster and feels more integrated with the product itself; it is more comfortable to use and engage in a conversation with – and the comfort of the user experience is something that I have already noted about the Apple ecosystem.
By adding the "Hey Siri" support to the new AirPods and improving the sound quality of the assistant, the new AirPods feel more independent of the iPhone; because I no longer regret the lower sound quality of Siri in my AirPods, I can use "Hey Siri" more often, knowing that the voice in my ears is no worse than the "real Siri" on the iPhone. The improved quality of Siri's voice creates the illusion that the entire Siri service resides inside the AirPods, while in reality, you still broadcast its voice from a near iPhone. Not to mention how, thanks to improved microphones In the new AirPods, giving orders to Siri also seems more accurate than before, which has had the effect of reducing the number of microphones for iPhone to repair what Hey Siri had committed.
Speaking of freedom vis-à-vis the iPhone, the addition of wireless charging to the AirPod case also plays on the feeling of owning two small laptops that no longer adhere to the rules from the iPhone. In the two years since Apple has added wireless charging to the iPhone range, my girlfriend and I have scattered a variety of wireless charging mats around our apartment. Each of us has one on the bedside table; we have a Samsung charger in the hallway; we have one in the kitchen; and, I've recently added this one above the "foot" of the LG UltraFine 4K screen on my desktop. The more we can eliminate the lightning strings hanging from our furniture, the better, especially with two playful dogs who love to chew them when we are not looking. But with the older AirPods, we still had at least one Lightning cable to top the case. As a result, we often end up plugging our iPhones with too much laziness. Anyway, we had to keep this lightning cable, so why not?
With the new AirPods and their wireless charging box, we can finally say goodbye to this single Lightning cable plugged into a USB charging station and take advantage of all the wireless chargers we have scattered around our home. It may be a trivial improvement, but it is pleasant no longer having to keep "the iPhone cable" at your fingertips, and the lifestyle of the AirPods is, in my opinion, all about small intricacies that are seemingly useless, but obvious once you you are used to it. There is nothing to configure, no extra step to consider: you simply place the AirPods case on a Qi charger, the LED turns on and charging starts. It's a small increase in natural and friendly freedom. The next logical step, of course, would be a wireless charger that allows you to place all Apple device on the top to charge it; To repeat what Robert Smith once said, it is the hope of all that could have filled me with the hope of wishing impossible things.
Finally, as I noted in my Instagram stories yesterday, I should mention how the new second-generation H1 chip from AirPod dramatically improves connection times with higher speeds when an AirPod is replaced by different Apple devices. While older AirPods typically took longer than 5 seconds (and usually around 10, especially on Mac) to switch from active headphones to the iPhone, the iPad Pro or the Mac mini, the second generation AirPods can switch between devices and platforms. in 2-3 seconds thanks to their improved wireless architecture. It's downright remarkable how fast the new connection is. Whatever Apple has done with its new H1 chip in the AirPods, I hope to see its adoption soon in other audio products of the company – to begin, perhaps, with appropriate over-ear headphones.
When you write about technology long enough – and I should know, since this website will be 10 years old next month – it's easy to let an underlying cynicism color every one of your views on tech products on which you write. I understand – more than ever, companies like Apple should be held accountable for their impact on our society and our economy. As journalists, writers and podcasters, it is our duty to criticize their decisions carefully. I say this as someone who writes an annual essay on a mobile operating system that dissects APIs and development frameworks. It's easy to be swept away by criticism at any cost.
I want to remember, and by extension to readers of MacStories, that it is normal to enjoy a product for what it is and to be enthusiastic about that when it is delivered to consumers in a way that transcends specification sheets and console style debates. The new AirPods are such a product.
Like the Apple Watch, the AirPods, despite their absence for years, remain a marvel of technological progress that most often makes you think of the word "magic". These are tiny laptops capable of playing music in your wireless ears, which have a built-in intelligent assistant, and which accompany you during workouts or dance rehearsals, and which can be recharged by them. depositing in a small plastic case that, in one way or another, now charges when it is placed on a carpet. Even though the cynic may notice that, Well, actuallyNone of this is a technical mystery, and even though we're probably arguing over what Apple should add to the AirPods in a year, today I just want to think about the fact that I can go for a walk with a computer wrist and two in-ear computers connected to the Internet that keep me informed about music and keep me in touch with other people in my life.
The new AirPods represent a substantial improvement over the first generation. But for once, I just want to think about how they still feel like little bits of magic every day.
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