Apple Air wireless headphones. Apple AirPods wireless headphones: a pleasant but expensive gift for connoisseurs of Apple products. What kind of special chip is implemented in AirPods?

Wireless headphones AirPods are a fairly new and still rare thing for our latitudes. So that you have less doubt about the need to purchase a new product, Apple has deprived the flagship iPhone 7 of a standard audio jack and there is no chance that it will appear in the next iPhone 8. It won't appear. Therefore, the question “is it worth buying AirPods?” sooner or later will confront every iPhone owner.

And before answering this question, it is worth delving into the essence of the issue in detail.

1. How much do AirPods cost in Russia and where can I get them?

In the American Apple online store they cost $160 (about 9,200 rubles). In Russia, on the company’s website and from official Apple resellers, you can easily buy them for 12,000 rubles, that is, almost 3,000 rubles more expensive than “there.”

Perhaps “gray” AirPods can be bought cheaper in Russia, but we traditionally do not recommend this.

2. How are wireless AirPods different from wired EarPods?

Imagine if someone took your regular Apple EarPods that come with your iPhone, cut the wires, and put them in a cute little box that now charges them. Actually, this is the whole point of AirPods.

They connect to the smartphone via Bluetooth. When you insert both headphones into your ears, you will hear a sound confirming the connection. After that, just turn on the music and enjoy.

A double tap on the ear activates Siri. If you remove one earphone from your ear, the music will pause. To the average person's ears, the sound quality of AirPods is no different from EarPods. In any case, if you consider yourself an audiophile, then you do not use standard Apple headphones and this topic is generally irrelevant for you.

3. How to control sound with them?

Either take your iPhone out of your pocket, or use Siri and give commands with your voice. Unfortunately, since the wire disappeared, all the control buttons disappeared. And yes, Siri does not work perfectly with AirPods - it takes a few seconds for it to “wake up” and generally talk to virtual assistant very awkward in public places.

4. How easy is it to connect AirPods to iPhone?

It's incredibly easy, and we say this without any sarcasm. You open the box, click “connect” and... that’s it. If your iPhone is connected to iCloud, then all your other Apple devices will know about your new headphones.

5. I don't have an iPhone, can I use AirPods?

Yes, but why? The point of AirPods is to work in tandem with Apple devices. Why should you, the happy owner of an expensive (since you have money for AirPods) “droid”, pay 12,000 rubles for wireless headphones?

But if you are one of those who want something strange, then know that on the box for the AirPods “ears” there is a small button that activates the search for a Bluetooth transmitter. Press it, select the “ears” that appear on the “droid” and tap the headphones once. That's it, you are connected to Samsung Galaxy S7, you are our pervert.

6. Do they fall out of your ears?

Depends on the size and shape of the ears. The vast majority of people claim that no, they do not fall out. And they don’t fall out even if you run, jump and move your head to the beat of a new hit. Intense sports activities are probably still contraindicated.

We define it for ourselves this way: if any other purebred headphones of a similar design don’t fall out of your ears, then Apple AirPods won’t fall out either. Well, if there are usually problems with “droplets”, you shouldn’t hope that the experience with Apple’s wireless creation will be different.

7. Is it possible to do fitness in them?

Anything is possible if you are careful. The author of these lines did not have any problems with AirPods in the gym, but a colleague complained that once the earphone fell out of his ear. As we already said - pull on a hat or something similar. Well, or get ready to immediately pick up the earphone from the floor, fortunately this shouldn’t be a problem in the gym. Jogging outside is at your own risk.

Sweat does not have a negative effect on the headphones, but you cannot swim in them - they are not protected from complete immersion in water, although they will probably survive an accidental short-term fall.

8. How long do they work without recharging?

Five hours of music playback is the limit. The box for them, which contains a battery and which charges the device, contains a daily charge of energy. Translated into Russian - if you use headphones often enough, you will have to charge the case once a week. In everyday city life there is enough charge, but for a weekend trip to the country or on a hike it may not be enough.

9. Is it easy to lose them?

It depends on how careful and attentive you are. If there is a problem with this, the chance of losing the tiny headphones is quite high. But since there is a special box for them, developing the habit of always putting an expensive item in its place is not so difficult.

If you lose one earbud, it's not the end of the world, but $60 is the price for a spare one. “There” stands, in any case.

10. So should I buy it or not?

Buy AirPods if:

• You have an iPhone;
• 10 thousand - 12 thousand is not a problem for you;
• You like beautiful expensive things;
• You don't usually have “droplets” falling out of your ears;
• Are you organized enough to avoid losing a pair of wireless headphones;
• You talk a lot and are in dire need of wireless headphones;
• You don't like wired headphones;
• You hate setting up electronics and want things to “just work.”

In all other cases, do not buy under any circumstances!

1. AirPods Pro are sweat and water resistant (excludes water sports) and tested in specially maintained laboratory conditions. The headphones are rated IPX4 according to IEC 60529. Sweat and water resistance may decrease due to normal wear and tear. Do not attempt to charge wet AirPods Pro: wipe and dry them according to the instructions on page . The charging case is not sweat and waterproof.
2. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2019 using preproduction AirPods Pro headphones and Wireless Charging Case units (products tested using pre-release software). The headphones have been paired with the iPhone 11 Pro Max with pre-release software. The playlist contained 358 different audio tracks (in AAC 256 kbps format) purchased from the iTunes Store. The volume level was set to 50% when the function was enabled active noise cancellation. When tested without using Transparent Mode and Active Noise Canceling, listening time was up to 5 hours. Testing AirPods Pro included playing audio until one of the headphones was completely discharged. Battery life varies depending on device settings and usage, environmental conditions, and many other factors.
3. Testing conducted by Apple in February 2019 using preproduction AirPods (2nd generation), Charging Case, and Wireless Charging Case units (products tested using pre-release software). The devices were paired with an iPhone Xs Max running pre-release software. The playlist contained 358 different audio tracks (in AAC 256 kbps format) purchased from the iTunes Store. The volume level was set to 50%. Testing AirPods included playing audio until one of the headphones was completely discharged. Battery life varies depending on device settings and usage, environmental conditions, and many other factors.
4. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2019 using preproduction AirPods Pro headphones and Wireless Charging Case units (products tested using pre-release software). The headphones have been paired with iPhone 11 Pro Max running pre-release software. The playlist contained 358 different audio tracks (in AAC 256 kbps format) purchased from the iTunes Store. The volume level was set to 50% with active noise cancellation enabled. Testing AirPods Pro included playing audio until one of the headphones was completely discharged. After this, the AirPods Pro were fully charged again, and audio playback continued until one of the headphones discharged again. This cycle was repeated until both the AirPods Pro and the charging case were completely discharged. Battery life varies depending on device settings and usage, environmental conditions, and many other factors.
5. Testing conducted by Apple in February 2019 using preproduction AirPods (2nd generation), Charging Case, and Wireless Charging Case units (products tested using pre-release software). The headphones were paired with an iPhone Xs Max running pre-release software. The playlist contained 358 different audio tracks (in AAC 256 kbps format) purchased from the iTunes Store. The volume level was set to 50%. Testing AirPods included playing audio until one of the headphones was completely discharged. After this, the AirPods were fully charged again, and audio playback continued until one of the headphones discharged again. This cycle was repeated until both the AirPods themselves and the charging case were completely discharged. Battery life varies depending on device settings and usage, environmental conditions, and many other factors.

The AirPods package includes headphones in a case, a set of instructions and a Lightning cable.

Case

The case has rounded edges, fits well in the hand and fits in any pocket. Opening and closing the lid is a special pleasure, turning the headphone case into an alternative to anti-stress toys.

WITH reverse side There is a button for connecting to Android devices and pairing with iOS devices, and on the bottom side there is a charging socket.

Over time, a dark coating forms under the lid, which has to be cleaned. It is not clear where it comes from: the case is always closed, no one touches it with dirty hands. Judging by the reviews, many AirPods owners periodically clean their cases. What can you do, the costs of design in white colors.

Another nuance is the play of the lid when moving it from side to side (not in the direction of opening). There are no scenarios in which it would be necessary to move the lid in this way, but such roughness in Apple technology is frustrating, at least due to the fact that they rarely occur.

There are magnets hidden inside the case, with the help of which the headphones literally fly into the case. The lid is also magnetized when closed, so AirPods can be safely thrown into the bottom of the bag - the headphones will not fall out or get lost.

Headphones

At first glance, wireless earbuds seem to be the same as EarPods, but without wires and with slightly thicker legs. If you don’t take into account the techno-mince hidden in these legs, then these are EarPods. And that's cool. It's not even a matter of skeuomorphism and continuity. It's just a really very comfortable and fairly versatile form of headphones.

If your doubts before purchasing AirPods are related to the fear of losing a dropped earphone, then we hasten to dispel them: the earbuds are held securely. The main reason for EarPods falling out is the wires that constantly pull the headphones down. There are none here.

The real danger lies in the habit, cultivated over the years, of removing one of the headphones during a conversation and letting it go. The EarPods would remain dangling from the wire, and the wireless earbud would simply fall to the ground. However, you can change your mind in a couple of days, and for the unlucky ones, there are special silicone laces on sale that connect the headphones together.

Sound

Sound performance is the most important aspect of any headphone review, but it's definitely the most boring when it comes to AirPods. As in the case of its wired predecessor, here we get a not particularly ambitious sound, smooth and slightly tinted in the mids and high frequencies.

For those who like precise specifications, we borrowed the frequency response graph from the French portal Les Numeriques.

This is a good result for urban in-ear headphones that do not pretend to be an audiophile device. After all, AirPods are not loved at all for their sound, although they cope well with the needs of the average user.

Exploitation

It's very easy to create a pair of AirPods with an Apple device. The W1 chip, specially designed for headphones, is responsible for fast synchronization. Just open the cover and your iPhone will automatically recognize your AirPods.

You confirm pairing by pressing the only button on the headphone case - and that’s it, the pair has been created and has already been scattered to all synchronized devices. From now on, you won’t even need to press a button - the broadcast will be automatically transferred to AirPods if they are inserted into your ears.

There are no buttons on the headphones. The only possible control gesture is double tapping. The best thing I came up with was play and pause on the right earbud, calling Siri on the left. Another way to pause playback is to remove one of the headphones.

TO new system navigation is difficult to get used to. In this regard, EarPods are still more convenient. One or two buttons to control playback are not enough, and Siri is not a panacea. For example, I am still embarrassed to use it in public places.

To answer a call, you also need to double-tap the earpiece. The quality of the outgoing sound is excellent: the active noise reduction system has an effect. Therefore, with AirPods you can talk with friends or call Siri even in a crowded and relatively noisy place.

If you bring the open case to the iPhone, the charge data for the case and headphones will appear on the screen. In addition, in the “Batteries” widget you can see the charge of each earbud. The fact is that they are identical in terms of filling; each can be used as a headset. In this case, the sound will be broadcast in mono, and the time battery life AirPods will double in size.

AirPods can also work in conjunction with all iOS devices running iOS 10 and above. Apple Watch with watchOS 3 and above, and computers with macOS 10.12 and above. In addition, the headphones can be used with any device that supports Bluetooth standard 4.0. In this case, the “magic” promised by the developers will disappear, but, as users of Android smartphones assure, wearing AirPods with their devices is quite comfortable. True, there is no Siri, but using third-party software you can make Google Assistant respond to tapping.

Battery

Fully charged earbuds and case can last for 24 hours of listening time and 11 hours of talk time. Without a case, the headphones will work for five hours. Moreover, they charge very quickly: in 15 minutes they gain enough charge to play music for another three hours.

This means that the device’s discharge will never take you by surprise. All you have to do is charge the case with headphones once every 3-4 days and not listen to music for five hours.

Verdict

• you are already fully stocked with Apple and want to add another utilitarian device to your collection;
• you are tired of the interrupting EarPods cables, but you are completely satisfied with the headphones themselves;
• Are you looking for wireless headphones that won't take up much space in your bag?

• you constantly lose everything;
• you live in a less developed region, where an exotic gadget may cause unwanted attention;
• you are an audiophile for whom frequency response, SOI and other obscure abbreviations are more important than anything else.

And most importantly: do not forget that the choice of headphones is always purely individual. If you like some Sennheiser or Koss better than EarPods, then purchasing a wireless version of your unloved headphones for 12 thousand rubles is not the best idea.

But if you want to get the most out of Apple technology, are accustomed to the ergonomics and sound of EarPods, and like to experience aesthetic and tactile pleasure from gadgets, then you will definitely like AirPods.

Take them out of the case - and they are ready to work with all your devices. Put them on and they connect instantly. Start speaking - your voice will be heard loud and clear. AirPods are an amazing combination of minimalism and high technology. Fantastic result.

No wire to worry about.

AirPods are set up with one touch and connect automatically. 1 They're easier than ever to use. The headphones understand when you take them off - at this moment the playback pauses. AirPods work great with iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac. You will be pleasantly surprised.

As for Siri.
Talking to your favorite personal assistant couldn't be easier. Double-tap the earbuds to activate Siri—without taking your iPhone out of your pocket. 2

What is the processor doing here? A lot of everything.

Behind all the incredible capabilities of AirPods is the W1 processor, specially designed by Apple. It provides excellent wireless connection, allowing AirPods to sound great and perform smoothly. In addition, it is thanks to the W1 processor that the battery charge is used so efficiently that you can listen to music for 5 hours on a single charge 3 .

Know when you are listening.
Motion accelerometers and optical sensors work in conjunction with the W1 processor to automatically adjust playback and turn on the microphone so you can use one or two headphones. Thanks to this, AirPods turn on the sound as soon as you put them on.

Sounding all day long.

AirPods allow you to listen to music for 5 hours without recharging - this is the best indicator in the industry. 4A with the wireless charging case providing multiple additional charge cycles, they can last more than 24 hours. Need a quick recharge? Just 15 minutes in the case - and you can listen to music for another 3 hours. 3 To check your battery charge, hold your AirPods close to your iPhone or ask Siri, “How much charge is left in my AirPods?”

They sound clean. They hear clearly.

Your music and movies sound great. Just like everything you want to listen to through AirPods, because the headphones provide high-quality audio playback in AAC format. And to help you be heard better, dual directional microphones reduce background noise during calls or communicating with Siri.

Automatic setup. Instant switching.

AirPods automatically pair with all your Apple devices. They are simultaneously connected to the iPhone and Apple Watch - and you hear sound from the device you are using. Want to listen to music on your Mac or iPad? Just select AirPods on these devices. 1

1 Required Account iCloud and macOS Sierra, iOS 10 or watchOS 3.
2 Siri may not be available in all languages ​​or regions. Feature capabilities may also vary. Internet access required. Data charges may apply. cellular networks.
3 Testing conducted by Apple in August 2016 using preproduction AirPods paired with preproduction iPhone 7 units and software. Battery life depends on device settings, usage conditions, and many other factors.
4 Compared to fully wireless stereo headphones.

A pleasant but expensive gift for connoisseurs of apple products

Along with the new iPhones, Apple announced another interesting device: AirPods wireless headphones. This is the first time Apple has released Bluetooth headphones, but this decision was self-evident - in new iPhones There is no 3.5 mm headset jack, so iPhone 7/7 Plus owners have to either use an adapter or carry branded headphones with a Lightning connector.

And in general, the wires don’t really fit into Apple’s aesthetics, especially those like those on headphones - fragile, constantly breaking down, getting tangled in unimaginable knots in your pocket. Anyone who has used Apple smartphones or players for a long time knows that headphones (for all their beauty and, admittedly, good sound) are practically consumables.

So the release of AirPods was overdue and turned out to be completely logical. True, fans of the company could be disappointed by two facts: firstly, AirPods are not included with the smartphone, they must be purchased separately, and secondly, Apple did not have time to release headphones at the same time as the iPhone 7/7 Plus.

Equipment

Let's say right away: AirPods are a product in which, despite its apparent simplicity, you can feel the magic of Apple. And this magic begins with the box: square, white, but with a convex glossy image of the headphones.

When we open the box, we get a new wave of pleasant emotions: inside there is a traditional envelope with leaflets/manuals, and under it there is a Lightning cable and a rectangular box made of white glossy plastic, but with strongly rounded sides. It contains the headphones themselves.

We open the lid of the box (it is magnetized, so to lift it, you need to apply a little effort - and this is a separate pleasure). And we see two headphones. Each of them is again held in place by a magnet, so you have to overcome some resistance to pull them out.

Now - the most interesting part: this white plastic box is not just packaging. This is a docking station. When the headphones are in it, they are charged, as evidenced by the color LED indicator. When the headphones are charging, it flashes red, and when they are fully charged, it glows green.

Additionally, the LED indicator may turn white when you press the flat white button on the back of the dock. It is needed to connect headphones to Apple devices that are not signed in to iCloud. We will tell you more about connecting AirPods to different gadgets below.

Of course, the docking station itself also needs to be charged, and for this there is a Lightning connector at the bottom of it. So, you can use the same cable for this as you use to charge your iPhone.

Design

Externally, AirPods look very similar to traditional EarPods, except, of course, for the lack of wires. The shape of the “droplets” themselves is almost identical. And, it should be noted, this is a good decision, since the shape of the Apple headphones is truly optimal.

However, a closer comparison of AirPods and EarPods reveals a number of differences that are quite significant in terms of functionality. Firstly, the leg of AirPods is longer and thicker than that of EarPods, which is quite logical: after all, the Apple W1 processor, accelerometer, battery, and Bluetooth module are located there. Secondly, next to the miniature speaker grille, we see proximity sensors on the AirPods on the front and back (the EarPods don’t have them). AirPods know when you put them in your ears and when you take them out!

And the third difference: AirPods have more holes for microphones, including one located at the bottom of the stem. And this is understandable, because one of the main scenarios for their use is as a Bluetooth headset and at the same time a Siri call device.

An interesting solution (no longer related to functionality, but to the appearance of the product) is the metal edging of the lower part. It may seem alien (although we don’t think so), but at the same time it creates a complete image.

Note that AirPods fit well in the ears and do not fall out when sudden movements head. However, we cannot guarantee that on the street, for example, when running, they will not jump out at the most inopportune moment. This is perhaps the most risky moment.

Regarding subjective assessment appearance, then, in our opinion, it is beautiful in itself. But there is a nuance: a person with these headphones looks rather strange. From the outside it may seem that these are some strange decorations in the ears, hearing aid or something like that. Everyone has long been accustomed to the sight of Bluetooth headsets, even more so to ordinary headphones, but here is something different.

This fact, as well as the hypothetical probability of losing an earphone (at least one), stops you from getting AirPods and using them outdoors. However, we admit that this is a matter of habit.

Connecting and interacting with iPhone

The magic continues when we decide that it’s enough to admire and it’s time to connect the headphones to the iPhone and start using them for their intended purpose. So, having internally prepared for the need to press some buttons, go into the Bluetooth settings on the smartphone, make connection attempts one after another, we open the lid of the docking station, placing the iPhone next to it - and immediately we see a window appearing on it with an image of headphones and a proposal connect them.

Once connected, this window will display the charge of both the headphones themselves and the docking station. Well, in order to get started, you just need to insert the headphones into your ears and hear sound signal and play music on iPhone.

If you remove one earbud from your ear while music is playing, it will automatically pause. If you remove both headphones, playback will be completed.

Calling Siri is implemented in an equally simple way. All you have to do is tap your finger twice on any earphone and Siri will be activated.

As for incoming and outgoing calls, in the first case they are automatically sent to the headphones, and in the second - when dialing a number on the iPhone, we can choose whether the sound will go to the headphones or to the smartphone speakers.

Connecting to Apple Watch

One of the most interesting features of AirPods is collaboration With smart watch Apple Watch. Starting with watchOS 3.0, the watch can be used as music player without communication with the iPhone, that is, play music stored directly in the Apple Watch memory. But, of course, this requires wireless headphones. AirPods are ideal for this task.

True, the connection diagram here is a little more complicated than in the case of the iPhone. First, you need to download music to your watch - to do this you need to go to Apple app Watch on iPhone, open the “Music” section and sync it with the watch. It is important that music can only sync with the watch when it is connected to charger(even if the watch is already charged).

After the music is synced with the Apple Watch, you need to launch the Music application on the watch and select the watch from two playback sources. After that, go to “Settings” on the watch, select Bluetooth and click on AirPods (although they may be automatically connected).

That's it, after that you can play music directly from the watch, transferring it to the headphones without an intermediary in the form of an iPhone. This means that, for example, you don’t have to take your smartphone with you to the gym or for a run.

The sound quality when playing music from the watch is no different from that when using a smartphone. But we will talk about this issue in more detail later.

Connecting to other devices

To use AirPods, it is recommended to have a device running macOS Sierra, iOS 10, or watchOS 3. We've talked about how to connect AirPods to iPhone and Apple Watch, and here we'll explain how synchronization with iPad and MacBook or iMac occurs.

On a computer running macOS Sierra, click on the volume speaker in the top menu bar and select AirPods in the “Output Device” section. On the iPad, the scheme is the same as in the case of the iPhone, but if you are not logged into your iCloud account there or automatic connection does not work for some other reason, open the docking station with headphones, press and hold the button on the docking station - and wait for the headphone window to appear.

The same scheme works with devices from other manufacturers. Many sites (including discussions on the official Apple website) report that headphones are incompatible with smartphones, tablets and laptops running other OSes. However, we tested AirPods with a OnePlus 3 smartphone and found that they connect to it in the same way and work quite well.

True, there are two nuances. Firstly, before you start playing music, the headphones make a slight background noise (hissing) and every few seconds an unpleasant click sounds - as if a connection or some kind of switching is happening. Secondly, during music playback this background noise, although barely noticeable, still remains. Let us emphasize that all this does not concern Apple devices from the list of officially supported ones. But we'll talk about this in the next section.

Sound quality and battery life

Even before our “face-to-face” acquaintance, our main concern was the sound quality. Bluetooth headphones are notorious for background noise and serious sound deterioration, and this often applies even to expensive models. But Apple would not be itself if it had not achieved a sound that is almost indistinguishable from wired EarPods.

As for the operating time on a single charge, the headphones can provide about five hours of sound. That is, this is about five albums. Worthy result! And considering that to recharge them you just need to put them in the docking station (literally for 15 minutes - this will provide about three more hours of sound), the problem of “the headphones run out at the most inopportune moment” is unlikely to arise.

conclusions

There is a lot to love about AirPods: beautiful design, the most convenient docking station, maximum intuitiveness, excellent sound quality, but most importantly - that very Apple magic, which is felt most clearly in this product. Every moment of interaction with AirPods is a pleasure; many details of both software and hardware delight and delight like a child’s toy.

Is this joy worth almost 13,000? Here everyone can decide for themselves, depending on their income and the threshold for a spontaneous purchase. This is definitely not the most necessary thing, in some ways even controversial from the point of view practical use(we're talking about wearing them on the street), but very pleasant. An ideal gift for Apple lovers.

Apple AirPods deserve our Original Design award for their original designs that combine ease of use, functionality and great looks.