AirPods have been around for almost five years. While the product line has seen major improvements over the years, the basic product has remained relatively unchanged.
Apple today introduced the third generation AirPods. This brings the wireless earbuds in line with the design and capabilities of the higher-end AirPods Pro. The headphones now have shorter microphone stems, and a contoured design that eliminates hard edges.
The headphones will be $179, an increase over the $159 price. They will ship in October and pre-orders can be made starting today.
The new headphones have a 6-hour battery life and a MagSafe charging case. The AirPods have a new low-distortion driver that provides a better listening experience. Spatial audio is now available on both the AirPods Pro and Max.
Another update is sweat and water resistance. So that they can be used as better training companions, sweat and water resistance have been added. The AirPods Pro also have the force-sensor input so that you don't have to tap your headphones. Instead, you can give the stem of the AirPods an easy squeeze.
Apple will continue to sell the second-generation AirPods at $129.
