Every year, Apple has some significant hardware upgrades planned for at least a few devices in its product lineup. 2023 could be an outlier, though.
This year, Apple’s major hardware launches will include its first AR/VR headset and the iPhone 15 series. While other products in the company’s lineup will receive a refresh, they will be relatively minor upgrades.
I’ve reviewed quite a few active noise-canceling wireless earbuds for Cult of Mac, including the magnificent new second-gen AirPods Pro. And while the high quality and excellent features of Apple’s updated ANC buds make them a favorite as well as a benchmark, there are great alternative earbuds that do a nice job for a much lower cost.
What follows isn’t a “top 5 in the world” list, which would be an assortment of mostly super-pricey earbuds. It’s my favorite earbuds among those I’ve reviewed in the past year or so, mostly focused on high-value products, considering the quality you get for the cost.
Which AirPods should you buy as gifts for family and friends this holiday season (or just for your greedy self)? It all comes down to which features you want and how much you want to spend.
Earbuds are a tough gift item because how they sound and how they fit is super-subjective. Everybody’s different.
But our guide will help you decide among the four Apple AirPods models on sale in December 2022: AirPods (2nd gen), AirPods (3rd gen), AirPods Pro (2nd gen) and AirPods Max.
Black Friday 2022 is now one for the record books, but you can still take advantage of hefty discounts on Apple products.
So, if you have been looking to buy a Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods or other Apple products for a while, take advantage of the best Black Friday deals on Apple gear right now. Just bear in mind that these deals can be slippery as an eel. If you see one you like, jump on it ASAP, because there’s no guarantee it will last.
★★★★☆
There’s something especially convenient about having a multi-device charging station on your nightstand. Or you could place at the edge of your desk or on a table by the front door. It’s a place you can charge your iPhone, AirPods charging case and Apple Watch all at once if need be.
Ugreen sent me its version to test out, the 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charging Station. It’s a good charger for most people — especially because it’s MFi-certified for MagSafe. That means you get a full 15 watts for MagSafe iPhones and 5W apiece for an AirPods charging case and Apple Watch.
But the device isn’t without minor drawbacks.
Looking to gift your loved ones the second-generation AirPods Pro this holiday season? Amazon is taking a sweet 6% off the latest AirPods Pro, bringing their price down to $234.
You can get Apple’s latest wireless earbuds by next week in most states in the US, ahead of Black Friday and Thanksgiving.
Halloween is the time for kooky costumes, candy-induced belly aches and frighteningly good deals on Apple accessories in Cult of Mac‘s Super Sweet Deals sale. You can get anything made by Elago for 15% off this week.
Just head to the Cult of Mac Store to take 15% off all Elago accessories. That’s 162 products that go along with pretty much everything Apple. See some highlights below.
Once in a while a computer setup comes along that shows off its owner’s invention. Sometimes it’s something perfectly utilitarian and sometimes it’s something weird and wonderful (examples below).
In today’s featured MacBook Pro and Intel NUC PC setup, we find a nifty folding MagSafe charging stand just about to go on the market.
The hopes of AirPods Pro users were raised recently when evidence pointed to the original version of these wireless earbuds getting Adaptive Transparency, one of best features of the second-generation model. Turns out it’s probably just a mistake.
If you’re really missing the feature, perhaps the best option is to sell your old AirPods for cash to upgrade.
Apple promises that AirPods Pro 2 offer a longer battery life that the original version, and now we know part of the way this is accomplished. The 2022 version uses batteries with 16% more capacity.
But the truly wireless headphones manage to pull off a 33% increase in time between changes.
The new Adaptive Transparency feature found in second-generation AirPods Pro earbuds could make its way to the original model. The feature blocks loud noises above the 85 dB threshold to protect the wearer’s hearing.
iPhone users running iOS 16.1 beta 3 and the latest AirPods Pro beta firmware spotted the Adaptive Transparency toggle for the wireless earbuds in the Settings app.
★★★★☆
Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro look almost exactly like the original model released in 2019. But they’re upgraded in every way that matters most, thanks mainly to the new H2 processor. In this in-depth AirPods Pro 2 review, I’ll run through all the ways Cupertino gave its flagship noise-canceling earbuds a boost.
Apple may not have gone as far as it could have in some ways. But still, the second-gen AirPods Pro are among the best earbuds on the market and a worthy upgrade for almost anyone. They’re particularly great for those who use lots of Apple gear and love how seamlessly their devices can work together.
Let’s take a look at, and a listen to, the second-gen AirPods Pro, aka AirPods Pro 2.
AirPods Pro 2 is now reaching customers and they confirm what everyone hoped: ear tips designed for the original version fit the new one.
But that’s not the whole story – Apple doesn’t recommend moving tips between the two versions of its earbuds. Here’s why.
The Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods Pro 2 are now on sale in more than 30 markets globally. The Ultra is the largest Apple Watch yet, while the new AirPods offer better sound and stronger noise cancellation than the originals.
Apple announced these products at its Far Out event on September 7, and started accepting preorders for the second-gen AirPods Pro immediately afterward. The Apple Watch Ultra went up for preorder alongside the new iPhones later that week. Now customers are receiving them, and the products are in stores.
Reviews of Apple’s new AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) are rolling in. The overwhelming consensus? The design is only slightly changed from the first-generation buds, but almost everything else is improved, with a few minor caveats.
They’re better than the original where it counts most: Higher sound quality, stronger ANC, more controls, longer battery life and an improved wireless charging case.
In short, given that the wildly popular AirPods Pro launched way back in 2019, it’s time for an upgrade for most people.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We can’t figure out which is more exciting, the brawny new Apple Watch Ultra or the brainy new Dynamic Island. Will the rugged new smartwatch prove too big for Erfon’s skinny wrists? Or does its bold size and styling elevate it to “big enough” status?
Also on The CultCast:
Brace yourself for our breathless reactions to Apple’s Far Out event — which was actually pretty far out!
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
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Should AirPods Pro owners upgrade to AirPods Pro 2?
The new set boasts a host of upgrades that could easily be worth it for many people — especially because the price hasn’t increased — and may even tempt owners of the relatively new and well-reviewed AirPods (3rd generation).
You can now preorder the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and AirPods Pro 2 from Apple. The company announced these products at its Far Out event on September 7.
Barring the iPhone 14 Plus, all other products going up for preorder today will start shipping on September 16. The former will launch nearly a month later, on October 7.
Apple definitely over-delivered with Wednesday’s Far Out event. The rumor mill’s constant churn of leaks and speculation gave us a solid framework for our expectations, but Cupertino’s hardware and software wizards still whipped out a few surprises.
Here’s everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 lineup, second-gen AirPods Pro and the 2022 Apple Watch models — including that hot new Ultra version for extreme athletes (and couch potatoes with solid credit ratings).
At Apple’s ‘Far Out’ event, music lovers got a treat in the form of new AirPods Pro, Apple’s top wireless, noise-canceling earbuds — the first revision since their 2019 launch. The top-shelf buds keep the same design but gain support for personalized spatial audio, touch controls and precise location finding.
AirPods products are typically announced alongside new iPhones and Apple Watch models. Today was no exception, with their debut tying in with the new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models, the new Apple Watch Series 8, SE and Ultra.
AirPods Pro 2 will be available for preorder on September 9 for a September 23 release date at $249.
The long-anticipated Apple early fall event is just around the corner. On September 7, executives will take to the stage at Apple Park to unveil an array of new products.
Here’s everything we’re expecting at the “Far Out” event, plus the devices we’ll likely have to wait until later in the year to see.
After three years, an upgraded version of AirPods Pro is finally expected at Apple’s September product event. But you don’t have to wait: Many details about Apple’s next wireless earbuds leaked out already.
They’re expected to be redesigned inside and out. Even the charging case reportedly will add new features.
CAD renders supposedly of the AirPods Pro 2 charging case appeared online Friday, revealing some changes potentially coming to Apple’s noise-canceling earbuds. They show an opening for a lanyard attachment as well as speaker holes that could make misplaced AirPods Pro easier to locate.
Apple might announce the second-gen AirPods Pro alongside the iPhone 14 at its Far Out event on September 7.
Occasionally a computer setup displayed on social media makes you swoon. Usually it’s a combination of amazing gear, artful arrangement and exceptional photography, like something staged by a pro. But sometimes it’s just a sick amount of awesome Apple computers and displays.
Today’s featured setup, run by a consultant who “works for several companies,” relies on four high-spec Macs, five very-nice-but-not-exceptional Macs and three Apple Displays, including a Pro Display XDR — which goes for $5,000 or more by itself.
Does your wallet hurt yet? We just took ours to the ER.
Apple’s next big thing might not be a car or an AR headset. Thanks to a rule change announced this week by the Food and Drug Administration, Cupertino could soon add hearing aids to its product lineup. The potential market is huge, and Apple stands uniquely positioned to disrupt the status quo.
The new rules allow companies like Apple to sell hearing aids over the counter and online, so buyers can set them up in the comfort of their own homes. Previously, if you wanted to buy hearing aids, your only option was to make an appointment for a hearing test and fitting at a specialist store.
This small change looks set to have a big impact. FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf told CNN he expects the ruling “will unleash the power of American industry to improve the technology.” And there’s one company in particular that has all the know-how to do just that — Apple.