Apple’s new AirPods Pro are available October 30, company announces

Apple has delivered on most of the speculation with its all-new AirPods Pro systems which will be available from October 30 – though only in white.

Better sound, noise cancellation, too

The AirPods Pro (available now for pre-order and in stores from October 30) feature Active Noise Cancellation and superior, immersive sound, in an all-new lightweight, in-ear design.

The offer better audio in the form of Adaptive EQ, fit comfortably with flexible ear tips and have innovative Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode.

And, as expected, they are also sweat- and water-resistant, making them perfect for active lifestyles. Though multiple colors are not available.

Each earbud comes with three different sizes of soft, flexible silicone ear tips for a better fit and seal. To maximize comfort, AirPods Pro use a vent system to equalize pressure, minimizing discomfort.

What Phil said:

“AirPods are the best-selling headphones in the world. The one-tap setup experience, incredible sound and iconic design have made them a beloved Apple product, and with AirPods Pro, we’re taking the magic even further,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new in-ear AirPods Pro sound amazing with Adaptive EQ, fit comfortably with flexible ear tips and have innovative Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode. We think customers are going to love this new addition to the AirPods family.”

Active Noise Cancellation

This system uses two microphones combined with advanced software to continuously adapt to each individual ear and headphone fit. The system removes background noise to provide a customized noise-cancelling experience so you can filter out external sound.

How it works:

“The first microphone is outward-facing and detects external sound to analyse environmental noise. AirPods Pro then create an equivalent anti-noise that cancels out background noise before it reaches the listener’s ear. A second inward-facing microphone listens toward the ear, and AirPods Pro cancel remaining noise detected by the microphone. Noise cancellation continuously adapts the sound signal 200 times per second.”

The Adaptive EQ system tunes the low- and mid-frequencies of the music to the shape of an individual’s ear, which makes for better music playback. A high dynamic range amplifier helps improve both sound quality and battery life, and also powers a low-distortion speaker driver. Expect rich bass down to 20Hz and detailed mid- and high-frequency audio.

Apple doesn’t want you getting run over

The chance of you being felled as you cross a road is reduced by a thing Apple calles “transparency mode”. This lets you simultaneously listen to music while still hearing the environment around you. The pressure-equalizing vent system and advanced software that leaves just the right amount of noise cancellation active.

How AirPod Pro controls work

Switching between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes is simple and can be done directly on AirPods Pro using a force sensor on the stem. This is also used to play, pause or skip tracks, and answer or hang up phone calls. Users can also press on the volume slider in Control Centre on iPhone and iPad to control settings, or on Apple Watch by tapping on the AirPlay icon while music is playing.

Still on H1

AirPods Pro use the H1 chip at its core. This features 10 audio cores and powers everything from sound to Siri. The extremely low audio processing latency of H1 enables real-time noise cancellation, delivers high-quality sound using adaptive technology and responds to hands-free “Hey Siri” requests — all at once.

AirPods Pro provide up to five hours of listening time. In Active Noise Cancellation mode, they promise up to four and a half hours of listening time and up to three and a half hours of talk time on a single charge. Through additional charges from the Wireless Charging Case, AirPods Pro deliver over 24 hours of listening time or over 18 hours of talk time.

Additional Features

The Ear Tip Fit Test helps ensure users get the best audio experience from AirPods Pro by testing the quality of the seal and identifying the best ear tip size for them. After placing AirPods Pro in each ear, 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. In just seconds, the algorithm detects whether the ear tip is the right size and has a good fit, or should be adjusted to create a better seal.

AirPods Pro will be available for $249 in the U.S. and more than 25 other countries and regions. They start shipping on Wednesday, October 30 and will be available in stores beginning later this week (varies by country and region).

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