Apple is working on AirPods Lite, a cheaper version of its wireless earbuds, according to an industry analyst.
This would appeal to those who find even the lowest-cost AirPods out of their reach. And would help buoy interest in Apple’s product when sales are expected to slow in 2023.
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.
Looking for some sweet holiday gifts that won’t break the bank? The Cult of Mac Store has a massive collection of affordable stocking stuffers, sure to put a smile on the face of any Apple fan, for less than $20 each.
You’ll find cases, screen protectors, bands, stands and more from our most popular vendors. And every product has been used and approved by us, so you can be confident you’re spending your hard-earned cash on great products.
If it seems like almost everyone you see wearing wireless earbuds is using AirPods, you’re not far off. Apple owns a whopping 31% of the world market – three times the market share of its closest competitor.
And the company’s lead is growing, with shipments growing strongly year-over-year, according to a market research firm.
Following Black Friday, the Cult of Mac Store added massive discounts over the weekend for Cyber Monday. So not only can you get a whopping 40% off SwitchEasy iPhone 12 series cases and accessories, you can get 30% a whole lineup of other great SwitchEasy gear.
See below for more details on all the great deals on many brands you can still get in the Cult of Mac Store. But if you like what you see, don’t hesitate. This deal ends at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, December 2.
Your old AirPods aren’t what they used to be. The speakers can get gummed up, degrading the audio performance. But the Belkin Cleaning Kit for AirPods can take care of the problem.
This might save you the cost of buying a new pair of Apple earbuds.
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.
You may not consider the humble desk mat a necessity in your computer setup. But what if you could charge your smartphone and earbuds charging case just by placing them on your desk? You can with the new Alti Wireless Charging Desk Mat. Accessories maker Journey unveiled it Thursday.
“This charging mat is our all-in-one solution to keeping your desk clutter-free while simultaneously charging your devices. We promise that it will soon become your favorite desk companion,” the company said.
Apple is asking its suppliers to move production of AirPods and Beats from China to India. This is the first time the company is looking to manufacture its wireless earbuds in the South Asian country.
The Cupertino giant has been heavily diversifying its supply chain recently and reducing its reliance on China. The company had already moved a portion of AirPods production from China to Vietnam in 2019. If you’re an airpods mac user, this shift in production could mean faster availability and better supply in new markets.
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.
Apple has said many times it won’t produce a touch-screen Mac because that’s what iPads are for. But Sidecar functionality can make an iPad a touch-screen extension of a Mac, where you can drag and drop elements and work with them using Apple Pencil or your fingertips.
Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup mounts a big 5K display and an iPad Pro right next to each other. In the photograph, you can see the desktop wallpaper running right onto the tablet’s display through Sidecar (more on that below).
And who doesn’t love an all-Apple audio arsenal? This setup rocks paired OG HomePods, AirPods Max on a cool charging stand and AirPods, too.
Who says you need an external display in your computer setup? Some people get by just fine without some big, expensive monitor and whatever hub and cables it might require. Instead, they rely on their devices’ built-in screens.
And doing that, the owner of today’s featured setup takes advantage of Universal Control. That helps him work seamlessly across an M2 MacBook Air and an M1 iPad Air mounted on stands.
Some people care deeply about cable management, with nary a cord to be seen in their computer setups. Others couldn’t care less about it, leaving wire-spaghetti all over the place. And folks in the middle want to do it right, but meh, maybe next week, and maybe only somewhat.
Today’s featured MacBook Pro and iPad Pro setup stakes out much of the ground described above. Cable management is in play, but it’s done in a way that drove some neatniks crazy while others applauded the controlled mayhem.
AirPods users will soon be able to discover what’s new in each firmware update. The current iOS 16 beta includes a link to a description of the current firmware on Apple’s website.
That’s a notable change from iOS 15 and before, where firmware updates for these wireless earbuds are an almost complete mystery.
We’ve seen a few computer setups lately where the owner switches from one or more large monitors to something smaller. But they don’t necessarily see losing the screen real estate as a “downgrade.”
That’s the case with today’s featured M1 Pro MacBook-centered setup. It went from a 34-inch ultra-wide 4K monitor to a new 27-inch Studio Display.
Essentially it boils down to “size isn’t everything.” When it comes to displays, there’s actually a lot more to the picture.
The guy who brought us the world’s first USB-C iPhone (and sold it for $86,001 on eBay) is now training his soldering pen on the AirPods charging case.
Engineering and robotics student Ken Pillonel put out a new video addressing AirPods’ repairability problem — they’re made to be replaced, not repaired. He demonstrated how he 3D-printed a new case and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C.
Imagine if Apple sold AirPods for $5,000, and they were so buggy they kept disconnecting from your iPhone. Sounds crazy, right? But that’s the reality faced by me and millions of other hearing aid users today.
Apple offers a solution for hearing aids called Made for iPhone (MFi). This enables third-party hearing aids to work like regular AirPods. In hardware terms, there’s not much difference between them anyway these days. But while AirPods will set you back just $129, MFi hearing aids cost 30 times more, and they’re far less reliable.
So, why did I just buy a pair? It’s complicated.