Apple’s brilliant battery-saving feature for iPhone, which recently made its way to Mac, is also coming to AirPods and AirPods Pro in iOS 14. It should help your beloved buds last a little longer in between replacements.
Apple rose to the challenge of holding a keynote for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in an empty auditorium Monday. A range of executives took the wraps off operating system upgrades for Mac, iPhone, iPad … the whole swath of Cupertino’s devices.
The presentation went surprisingly well, considering that the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the presence of the usual odd mix of highly enthusiastic Apple employees and professionally skeptical journalists.
AirPods got some impressive-sounding (no pun intended) features announced at WWDC, including an upcoming “Spatial Audio” feature that will provide better 3D sound for its AirPods Pro wireless earpods.
The feature will use motion tracking to replicate a surround sound, movie theater-style listening experience, making it sound like the audio you’re listening to is coming from around the wearer. It will work by using the device’s in-built accelerometer to track the motion of users’ heads. It will then remap the sound field constantly as your head moves around.
Apple will introduce its third-generation AirPods buds featuring the same design as AirPods Pro during the first half of 2021, according to one reliable analyst.
The new wireless headphones could help drive a 28% increase in AirPods shipments next year. Apple’s rumored decision not to include free EarPods with iPhone 12 this fall could also contribute to the boost.
OtterBox on Thursday launched protective covers for AirPods and AirPods Pro cases. The Ispra and Lumen series are this company’s first for Apple’s truly-wireless earbuds. They come in a range of colors, and are designed to save the AirPods case from scratches and drops.
The Cult of Mac Store just kicked off its Father’s Day sale, offering some of our best AirPods and Apple Watch accessories at sweet discounts. Pick up bands, stands, protective bumper cases and more that dad will love.
Active noise cancellation is one of the big selling points of AirPods Pro, so you probably expect it to actually work after you’ve splashed out $249. But if you’re running into noise cancellation problems, there are ways to fix them.
Find out how right here.
This week on The CultCast: AirPods with new sensors could be on the horizon, and that would fit perfectly with Apple’s always-on approach to health. Find out why we can’t wait for in-ear health trackers. Or for Apple to revamp the musty Messages app for Mac.
Plus, we discuss the aftermath of last week’s controversial chat with hotshot Apple leaker, Jon Prosser. And finally, Cult of Mac TV reviewer Scout Tafoya tells us why you probably ought to queue up Defending Jacob (and why you might want to skip Central Park).
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
Apple’s newest MacBook Air is $49 more affordable if you buy yours on Amazon right now. Or you can save even more by opting for a renewed previous-generation MacBook Air, which is now available for less than $850.
Renewed stock doesn’t last long, so bag yours before they’re gone.
Apple’s newest wireless headphones have returned to some of their lowest prices yet, thanks to big discounts from Amazon. You can save up to $50 on AirPods Pro, Powerbeats Pro, and more for a limited time only.
You can also pick up second-generation AirPods for as little as $129, and there are big savings to enjoy on Beats headphones, too.
Pick up a pair of brand-new and awesome AirPods Pro today to enjoy $21.01 off the usual price. It’s the biggest discount yet from Amazon, reducing the price of Apple’s high-end wireless buds to just $227.99 with shipping.
It won’t last long, so enjoy it while you can!
The coronavirus and its aftermath appear to be taking a toll on manufacturing of updated AirPods, with a new report indicating an update to Apple’s popular earbuds will be delayed slightly and roll into the first quarter of 2021.
The Nikkei Asian Review also reported Friday sources as saying around 30% of all classic AirPods to be produced this quarter for Apple will be “made in Vietnam”. That the report said is “a sign the company is accelerating its diversification of production out of China amid the coronavirus pandemic.”
Apple has finally acknowledged that some AirPods Pro units can produce “cracking or static sounds” while in use. If you’re experiencing these issues, there are some things you can try that might help eliminate them.
These are the steps Apple says you should take.
Apple introduced a firmware update for AirPods Pro on Tuesday. There’s no word yet on what this does, but many users of these truly-wireless headphones hope it improves active noise cancellation.
There couldn’t be a better time to treat yourself to a pair of Apple’s amazing wireless buds. Both second-generation AirPods and AirPods Pro are on sale right now, with some of the biggest discounts we’ve seen so far.
Bag yours before they sell out!
Apple’s third-generation AirPods will enter mass-production during the first half of 2021 ahead of a release next year, according to one reliable analyst on Thursday.
Apple hopes the refresh will save falling demand for second-generation AirPods. Its next AirPods Pro units won’t enter mass-production until the fourth-quarter of next year at the earliest.
For many of us, working from home is the new normal. That’s a mixed bag — more comfortable, no commute, but it’s also harder to stay focused, and distractions abound. So we’ve discovered an unexpected ally in the fight for productivity at home: AirPods Pro.
B&H Photo just dropped the biggest discount we’ve seen so far on Apple’s new 2020 MacBook Air. You can save $100 on yours for a limited time only.
That’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup. Other highlights include:
Find all these discounts and more in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.
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Sources in Apple’s supply chain reportedly indicate that that the next AirPods Pro won‘t be out until later this year, or perhaps 2021. This contradicts other reports that the company could introduce new wireless earbuds as early as next month.
New AirPods, which Apple reportedly planned to unveil at its canceled-before-it-was-announced March event, are ready to go, claims regular Apple leaker Jon Prosser.
In a tweet Sunday, he claimed the upgraded earbuds likely will arrive alongside a new MacBook Pro next month.
Getting replacement ear tips for AirPods Pro just got whole lot easier. On Wednesday, these went up for sale on the Apple Store, and can be ordered like any other product.
That’s far easier than getting these used to be.
Need a new MacBook Pro? You won’t want to miss Woot’s brilliant deal on 13-inch models, refurbished by Apple, which are now available for as little as $679.99. Or pick up the brand-new 2020 Mac mini from $699 — $100 off its usual price tag.
That’s just some of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup that will help you tackle self-isolation and working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. Other highlights include:
Find all these discounts and more in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
Apple on Tuesday made its new Beats Powerbeats headphones official after a series of big leaks. The $149 wireless buds pack the same technology as Powerbeats Pro, including the newest H1 chip, and last up to 15 hours in between charges.
You can order yours this Wednesday, March 18.
Apple doesn’t just hold a lead over its competitors in the wearables market. It captured a 36.5 percent share of the market in the final quarter of 2019.
Second-place Xiaomi’s slice of the pie was under 11 percent.
Sennheiser’s new Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds are ready to take on AirPods Pro with better battery life and active noise cancellation. They follow the highly rated True Wireless headphones that debuted in 2018, and despite some big improvements, they retain the same $299 price tag.