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Apple Unveils Third-Generation AirPods – Feature Spatial Audio, Extended Battery Life

Apple today unveiled its third-generation AirPods truly wireless earbuds. The new AirPods use the earbuds’ H1 chip with an Apple-designed acoustic system to deliver breakthrough sound with Adaptive EQ. Users can enjoy spatial audio featuring Dolby Atmos in Apple Music, movies, and tv shows, along with dynamic head tracking, across Apple devices.

The new AirPods are sweat and water-resistant, with an IPX4 rating for both the earbuds and the charging case. They feature a force sensor for easy and intuitive control of music and phone calls. Listeners can enjoy up to six hours of listening time and up to 30 hours of total listening time with the charging case. The stem is shorter than the previous generation and features the same intuitive force sensor as AirPods Pro for media control.

AirPods (3rd generation) use a custom driver and a high dynamic range amplifier to produce powerful bass with crisp, clean high frequencies. The microphone is covered by an acoustic mesh to help reduce the sound of the wind. AirPods also feature AAC-ELD, a superior speech codec that offers full HD voice quality, providing clear, natural communication for FaceTime calls.

The new AirPods feature Adaptive EQ that tunes sound in real time based on how AirPods fit in the user’s ear. An inward-facing microphone monitors for sound, and then Adaptive EQ, powered by computational audio, tunes the low and mid frequencies to account for what may be lost due to variances in fit.

Spatial audio creates a three-dimensional theater-like experience, placing sound virtually anywhere in space, and with Dolby Atmos, AirPods have never sounded better. Users can also enjoy this multi-level experience with dynamic head tracking, so music, video, and even Group FaceTime calls feel more immersive than ever before. Using advanced spatial audio algorithms, and by applying directional audio filters to subtly adjust the frequencies that each ear receives, the new AirPods can place sound all around the user.

AirPods (3rd generation) are available to order starting today, and in stores beginning Tuesday, October 26.

AirPods Pricing and Availability

  • AirPods (3rd generation) will be available for $179 (US) and are available to order from apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in the US and more than 26 other countries and regions starting today, with availability in stores beginning Tuesday, October 26.
  • AirPods (2nd generation) will be available at the new price of $129 (US).
  • AirPods Pro now come with MagSafe Charging Case for the same price of $249 (US).
Chris Hauk

Chris is a Senior Editor at Mactrast. He lives somewhere in the deep Southern part of America, and yes, he has to pump in both sunshine and the Internet.