in 2016, Apple introduced the AirPods 1st generation. Over the years, AirPods became a lifestyle device. Wearing an AirPod became a fashion. AirPods is another evidence of Apple’s design skill. It also beats most of the wireless earbuds in the market at that time by the sound quality. Then AirPods Pro was introduced. The sound quality was incredible, and it became the most popular wireless in-ear headphones at that time.
In 2022, Apple took another step forward by introducing the 2nd generation of AirPods Pro. It makes a significant improvement in the sound quality and noise cancellation technology. Extended battery life and the powerful processor make AirPods Pro 2nd generation smarter than the 1st generation. We are going to review the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) in this article.
Design
When it comes to the design, the new AirPods Pro is a reassemble of the 1st generation. Both earbuds and the charging box have almost the same design. The charging case now has a built-in speaker. It notifies you of the low battery or charging status and helps you to find the charging case when it is misplaced. The charging case still looks nice, and its compact size makes it pocketable. AirPods Pro (2nd generation) charging case now supports both lightning and USB type C connections. It also supports wireless charging.
Earbuds look nice as the 1st generation. The lightweight design makes it easy to wear them for a long time. Now, you get four ear tips in the box, including an XS (Extra Small) sized ear tip.
Sound Quality
AirPods Pro 2nd generation has an incredible sound quality Compared to the previous generation. The new advanced H2 chip’s audio algorithms deliver a richer and more powerful sound. AirPods Pro 2nd generation offers an immersive listening experience with custom low-distortion, high-excursion audio drivers and high dynamic range amplifiers. The sound is more layered and textured, and voices are solid, focused and crystal clear. You will be impressed with this clear listening experience if you are a podcast fan.
Call quality is still clear like the 1st generation. There are no complaints about it.
With the new ANC mode, the sound is clearer because it cancels all the unwanted noises and focuses you on the music you are listening to. (We will discuss more about ANC in the Features section of this article) AirPods Pro still does not support Hi-Res audio. Most Apple users expect to listen to high-quality music with these new AirPods but they still haven’t the technology to process high-quality audio wirelessly. AirPods Pro 2nd generation still uses the basic AAC codec over Bluetooth. If you want to listen to music in high quality, go for an AirPods Max or another alternative option.
Features
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
AirPods Pro 2nd generation has an improved Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature. Compared to the 1st generation, it blocks twice as many unwanted noises in your background. Thanks to the powerful H2 processor, AirPods Pro 2 can deliver a comfortable listening experience by blocking all the noises. Transparency mode is now even better than the previous version. The “Adaptive Transparency” feature reduces loud and harsh noises to bring you a better experience when you are in transparency mode.
Adaptive Audio
Adaptive Audio is a new feature that comes with the new iOS 17 which adjusts the ANC level dynamically and reacts to the noise levels in your background. This is very useful when you are in high traffic. AirPods Pro 2nd generation detects when you are speaking and automatically lowers the volume of the music. But it doesn’t recognize when you are singing alone. This must be important to improve because Apple Music is now supporting karaoke mode and people may sing alone when listening to music using AirPods.
Ecosystem
As all of you know, AirPods work better with iPhones and other Apple devices. It can instantly pair with Apple devices and switch between the devices in the ecosystem. Earbuds pause the music when you take out an earbud and resume when you put it back again. This works very well on AirPods 2nd generation than all other earbuds on the market. There is a new dedicated section in the settings app to manage and customize your AirPods. Now you can customize ANC modes, Siri Voice commands, touch controls and many more.
Spatial Audio
Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is another feature that is loved by millions of Apple users. It gives you a 360-degree listening experience. With the dynamic head tracking feature, the music moves around you. It creates an impressive listening experience. Now you can customize the Spatial Audio profile to create a more personalized experience. Unfortunately, this feature is only available on Apple devices. You can’t use it with Android phones or Windows PCs.
Battery Life
The battery life is improved in the 2nd generation.You can listen for up to 6 hours on the buds (with ANC on) on a single charge. With the charging case, you can listen for up to 30 hours. The 1st generation had 24 hours of total listing time with the charging case. The 2nd generation has 6 more hours of listing time, and it is a noticeable improvement.
Conclusion
AirPods Pro is not just an earbud. It is a fashion. Apple did a perfect job in designing. The sound quality is as perfect as the design. It has improved in many ways from the 1st generation. AirPods Pro 2nd generation is one of the best in-ear headphones you can buy. It is the best option for you, especially if you are an Apple user. There are so many native features that are exclusively available for Apple users. Spatial Audio is one of the most popular features of the AirPods Pro. There are many other improved features, such as Adaptive Transparency and Active Noise Cancelation.
Call quality is still decent, and the Listening time is longer than the previous generation. AirPods work seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem and some features are limited to Apple devices. If you are an Android or a Windows user, it is good to take an alternative option rather than AirPods.
