Apple Unveils The $249 Airpods Pro With Transparency Mode Feature, Available Oct 30th

The Apple successor to the hit wireless earbuds available is here. Apple just unveiled the Airpods Pro, which are accessible for pre-order today (Oct. 28), and will be accessible in stores in the US and the UK on Oct. 30. The totally redesigned Pro earbuds will come with active noise cancellation, various size ear tips for an increasingly agreeable fit, and better sound quality making it a pro music earbud. Google announced theirs at the last Made by Google event along with the new Pixel 4 phones. Microsoft in fact announced their all new Surface earbuds thereby heating up the wireless earbuds space for Apple which is considered a pioneer in this area. The Airpods Pro looks to help Apple seal its leadership in the face of competition.

Well the new earbuds costs higher and at $249 (£249), Apple’s most current earbuds are costlier than the second generation Airpods, which were just unveiled a half year back, and retail for $159 (or £159). Apple’s new music centric earbuds are not the only pricey ones out there.  Sony’s WF-1000XM3 debuted at about $230, Bose’s QuietComfort 20s started at $300 and Apple’s own Beats’ Powerbeats Pro hit the stores at $250. Microsoft which is fairly new to this game is starting its Surface earbuds at $250 later this year.

But Apple looks to be justifying the extra cost in that the Pro earbuds will include security setting known as Transparency mode, additionally found on certain Beats earphones, which will enable users to switch off the noise cancellation mode when necessary. The buds additionally incorporate a sensor on the stem, which enables users to turn on transparency by just touching the Airpods.

Transparency mode provides users with the option to simultaneously listen to music while still hearing the environment around them, whether that’s to hear traffic while out for a run or an important train announcement during the morning commute. Using the pressure-equalizing vent system and advanced software that leaves just the right amount of noise cancellation active, Transparency mode ensures that a user’s own voice sounds natural while audio continues to play perfectly.

AirPods Pro have a similar extraordinary battery life as AirPods with as long as five hours of listening time. In Active Noise Cancellation mode, AirPods Pro can give the user up to four and a half long stretches of listening time and up to three and a half long stretches of talk time on a single charge. Through extra charges from the Wireless Charging Case, AirPods Pro can deliver more than 24 hours of listening time or more than 18 hours of talk time. Charging is as basic as putting the AirPods case on a Qi-certifed charging mat or utilizing the Lightning port while in motion.

Here are additional features;

• The Ear Tip Fit Test helps ensure users get the best audio experience from AirPods Pro by testing the quality of the seal and identifying the best ear tip size for them. After placing AirPods Pro in each ear, advanced algorithms work together with the microphones in each AirPod to measure the sound level in the ear and compare it to what is coming from the speaker driver. In just seconds, the algorithm detects whether the ear tip is the right size and has a good fit, or should be adjusted to create a better seal.
• Voice-activated Siri uses the H1 chip to enable hands-free “Hey Siri” to play a song, increase the volume, make a call or get directions. 
• Audio Sharingmakes it easy to listen to the same song or watch the same movie with a friend by simply bringing a second pair of AirPods close to iPhone or iPad.³
• Announce Messagesautomatically and conveniently speaks incoming messages as soon as they arrive, and when on a phone call or sharing media via Audio Sharing, Siri knows not to interrupt.