Mobile menu toggle

AirPods - page 20

Apple’s unreleased over-the-ear headphones spotted in iOS 14 code

By

airpods-max
Apple's making its own headphones to rival Beats.
Photo: 9to5Mac

The clearest look yet at Apple’s upcoming over-the-ear headphones was unearthed from an early build of iOS 14 this week.

Icons for Apple’s unreleased over-the-ear headphones were spotted by 9to5Mac, revealing a few features about the headphones’ design as well as a possible timeframe on when they might launch to the public.

New entry-level AirPods could hit store shelves this summer

By

AirPods-Pro-vs-AirPods
AirPods Pro Lite might look like Apple’s high-end wireless earbuds, or the basic AirPods.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s next AirPods go into production very soon, according to an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia. These are the wireless headphones that are typically referred to as AirPods Pro Lite, though they are unlikely to have that name when released.

Target employees leak inventory listings for new AirPods, Apple TV, iPod touch and more

By

Target inventory photos
Are these soon-to-be-released Apple products, supposedly uncovered by Target employees?
Photo: 9to5Mac

Unnamed Target retail store employees are sharing details of what some believe are soon-to-be-released Apple updates using purported images of product listings from the companies retail inventory system.

The supposed new products include Apple AirPods X Generation, a 10.5-inch iPad, a new generation Apple TV, a new iPod touch and a series of new Apple Watch bands. 

New iPads Pros, new AirPods and AirTags are incoming! We discuss, on The CultCast

By

CultCast 428
Apple's got some new goodies on the way...
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast: New iPads Pro, new AirPods and AirTags are incoming, but Apple warns coronavirus could mean big manufacturing delays. Plus: From cut and paste, to Newton, and more — we remember the inventions of tech folk hero Larry Tesler.

And stick around for an all new What We’re Into, where Leander pitches some of the most bizarre shows on TV.

Our thanks to LinkedIn for supporting this episode. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters … head to LinkedIn.com/cultcast and get a $50 credit toward your first job post.

AirPods parts makers ramp up production despite coronavirus

By

They AirPods Pro fit in their case like nothing ever happened.
Apple literally can't make AirPods fast enough.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Production of some AirPods components has managed to stay at normal levels despite the COVID-19 virus causing problems with Apple’s supply chain and stores in China.

AirPods Pro supplies were constrained months before the coronavirus outbreak in China. Tim Cook told investors that he couldn’t predict when production would finally catch up, but a new report gives some encouraging signs that things could get back to normal soon.

Apple moves production of some high-demand devices to Taiwan

By

Apple logo on store
Apple has a backup plan.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is shifting a portion of AirPods, iPad and Apple Watch production from China to Taiwan as the tech giant continues to deal with coronavirus-related delays in China.

The virus, called COVID-19, has forced Apple to diversity on the fly its China-reliant production model. Much of the country remains quarantined and restricted in travel, and Apple assembly and supply partners are unable to operate at full capacity.

Marshall brings active noise cancellation and USB-C to over-the-ear headphones

By

Marshall
These are some of the best looking headphones we've seen.
Photo: Marshall

Marshall’s best over-the-ear headphones finally gained active noise cancellation (ANC) with a big update that pushes the vintage-inspired cans into the modern age.

The new Monitor II ANC headphones were revealed by Marshall this morning and along with adding ANC to put them on par with AirPods Pro, the headphones also have a nifty multi-directional control knob that lets you easily control music and phone functions without touching your phone.

How sneaky kids use AirPods to ‘talk’ in class

By

fake AirPods talk in class
Totally legit Apple AirPods.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

When I was a kid, we communicated in class by writing notes on pieces of paper, and passing them to other kids. It was called “passing notes,” and is now probably taught in schools as an artisanal pastime, along with “going outside” and conkers. In 2020, kids use insane workarounds to avoid actual writing.

Today we’ll see how to “pass notes” using nothing but two $700 iPhones and two $160 pairs of AirPods.

Apple could be planning ‘AirPods Pro Lite’ for 2020

By

AirPods Pro and Transparency Mode make for fine hearing aids.
AirPods Pro and Transparency Mode make for fine hearing aids.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple could be planning to introduce more affordable AirPods Pro buds. A new report claims Cupertino is in talks with suppliers in Taiwan over “AirPods Pro Lite,” which are expected to debut later this year.

It is believed Apple is also planning to shift production of other devices — including iPad, Apple Watch, and iMac — to Taiwan as the coronavirus epidemic continues to cause problems in China.

Samsung tries to take on AirPods Pro without active noise cancellation

By

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus
Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus are going to have to compete against AirPods Pro without a really popular feature.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung today unpacked Galaxy Buds Plus, its answer to Apple’s top-selling AirPods. The Korean company’s latest truly wireless headphones offer better sound quality and longer battery life. But they lack the hallmark feature of AirPods Pro: active noise cancellation.

AirPods sales could blow past 100 million units this year

By

Demand could far exceed supply for AirPods this holidays
The launch of Apple’s new AirPods Pro in October helped the company record steady growth last year.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s AirPods will once again dominate the market for truly wireless headphones in 2020, according to a market research firm. And sales will hit 100 million units this year.

The only real question is which company will come in second in this market.

Mad Money host predicts big things for Apple through 2030

By

International governments plan to rethink tax rules for the ‘digital age’
Jim Cramer is betting big on Apple.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

By any measure, Apple had an astonishingly successful decade between 2010 and 2020, becoming the world’s first publicly traded $1 trillion company in the process. But Apple’s next 10 years could be another monster decade for the company, Mad Money host Jim Cramer speculates.

Speaking on his 65th birthday Monday, Cramer said that, “I’m going to make another 10-year bet [on Apple]. I think they’re that good.”

Coronavirus in China could exacerbate AirPods supply problems

By

They AirPods Pro fit in their case like nothing ever happened.
New AirPods Pro orders aren't shipping until March.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple’s current AirPods Pro supply woes could soon get much worse, thanks to the new coronavirus spreading throughout China.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Apple ordered suppliers to produce 45 million AirPods units to catch up with the huge demand. Then, manufacturers shut down production lines through February 10 due to the fast-spreading virus. Now a new report cautions that suppliers might not have enough components to fulfill Apple’s order when production resumes.

AirPods Pro remain back-ordered until March

By

AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
Anyone hoping to give AirPods Pro as a Valentine’s Day gift can expect to go through some hassle to get them on time.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Order AirPods Pro today from Apple.com and they won‘t arrive before March 3. And other online retailers are also out of stock. Apple has struggled to meet demand for these wireless earbuds since they launched, and there’s no sign it’s catching up.

That said, there’s a way many people can get AirPods Pro without a wait.

Kuo: Apple’s huge lineup of products for early 2020 includes AirPower alternative

By

AirPower
Apple hasn't given up on wireless charging pads.
Photo: Apple

Apple is planning a huge lineup of products for early 2020, including a brand-new AirPower alternative, according to reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Fans can also look forward to a low-cost iPhone, upgrades to iPad Pro and the MacBook lineup, high-end headphones, and more before the summer, he reported.

Prepare your wallets for one hell of a beating!

5 big questions heading into Apple’s first earnings report of 2020

By

Earnings call
Apple's Q1 2020 earnings report will probably break some records.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s first earnings report of the decade is barely 24 hours away, and Wall Street is praying for another historic quarter.

After defying gravity for the last 12 months, Apple’s soaring stock price suffered its biggest single-day loss in more than six months today. Tuesday’s Q1 2020 earnings, which will cover sales from the 2019 holiday season, could provide the jolt AAPL shares need to start jumping up the charts again. However, certain hot topics — and what Apple says about them — could signal a downturn ahead.

Share your music with other AirPods, wirelessly

By

AirPods sharing
Things are about to get romantic.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you and a friend both have AirPods or Beats headphones, you can share audio coming from a single iPhone or iPad. This is great for listening to the same music track or podcast, or — most useful I reckon — watching a movie together. Apple makes it really easy for you to share your audio stream with someone else. In fact, you could say it’s easier than doing it the old way, because A) there are no wires to get tangled and B) there’s no splitter adapter to lose.

Here’s how to set up audio sharing on AirPods.

AirPods Pro noise cancellation spoiled by firmware updates, users say

By

AirPods-Pro-vs-AirPods
Have you noticed a change?
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

AirPods Pro’s brilliant noise cancellation feature gives them a huge advantage over regular AirPods. Except when that noise cancellation feature doesn’t work properly.

A growing number of users say their buds aren’t blocking out background noise as effectively as they once did. And testing confirms that to be the case.

How to stop accidentally switching off noise cancellation in AirPods Pro

By

AirPods Pro and Transparency Mode make for fine hearing aids.
AirPods Pro and Transparency Mode make for fine hearing aids.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you have a pair of AirPods Pro, then you know all about noise cancellation. That’s kind of the whole point of Apple’s top-tier AirPods, from the noise-sealing silicone tips to the software Ear Tip Fit Test. You probably also know that you can deactivate noise cancellation, and even quick-switch modes by squeezing the shaft of one of the earbuds.

But what if you never want to disable the excellent active noise cancellation on your AirPods Pro? Maybe you keep accidentally deactivating the feature (like I do). Today we’ll see how to switch off the shaft-squeezing shortcuts — and how to access them from your iPhone’s lock screen instead.

AirPods sales spike means total market domination

By

AirPods-Pro-vs-AirPods
AirPods and AirPods Pro outsell all rivals by a wide margin.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple sold almost 60 million AirPods wireless headphones in 2019, according to a market-analysts firm. That’s a dramatic increase from the 35 million the company is estimated to have sold the year before.

And Apple took the lion’s share of 2019 sales of totally wireless (TWS) headsets.

CES 2020 trends: AirPower alternatives, rise of 5G, tasty TVs

By

CES-2020-trends
It's shaping up to be an exciting year for tech.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

CES 2020The post-holiday tech fest that is CES shutters its doors today for another year. This week’s event has been as weird and as wonderful as any other, giving us a glimpse of all kinds of innovative gadgets on the way in 2020.

Better AirPods alternatives. Wireless chargers that achieve what Apple couldn’t. iPhone cases you can throw on the compost heap when they’re no longer needed. Here are the biggest trends from CES 2020.

How to check AirPods battery life from your Apple Watch

By

Apple Watch AirPods battery
The Apple Watch can tell you about the batteries in your AirPods.
Photo: Cult of Mac

There are several ways to check the remaining battery life on your AirPods and AirPods Pro. You can flip open the AirPods’ case, and wave it near your iPhone or iPad to see a pop up battery screen. Or, if the AirPods are currently connected to your iPhone, you can swipe to the batter widget in the Today widget screen. But did you also know that you can check your AirPods’ battery from your Apple Watch?