Alongside the new Apple Watch Ultra, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro, Apple has today also announced the much needed upgrade to the AirPods Pro. The 2nd Gen AirPods Pro come with an all new H2 chip, and a host of improvements. Plus, there are new features to justify their existence in 2022.
2nd Gen AirPods Pro: Changes and New Features
Though the AirPods Pro 2 look similar to the AirPods Pro, Apple has made a bunch of changes to the case. The new case for the AirPods Pro comes with a built-in speaker. This can help you locate the case using the Find My app on your iPhone (something that was surprisingly not possible on older AirPods and AirPods Pro devices). The speaker will also inform you when the case is being charged, pairing, or when the battery is running low. There’s a new XS size ear-tip as well; and the case now features the U1 chip for UWB features such as locating lost AirPods Pro cases with the Find My app.
Under the hood, the new H2 chip powers a couple of new smart features as well. The active noise cancellation is now twice as powerful as the original AirPods Pro. Further, alongside the existing Transparency mode, the 2nd gen AirPods Pro feature a Dynamic Transparency mode as well. This feature will automatically lower the volume of unwanted environmental sounds like construction noises, while still letting in conversations, etc.
The AirPods Pro (2022) also come with Touch Controls. You can now swipe along the stem of the earbuds to control the volume without having to ask Siri. Further, they support all the expected features such as Spatial Audio and Personalised Spatial Audio, wireless charging, and more.
Battery Life and Charging
Apple has improved the battery life as well, and you now get 6 hours of playback on a charge. With the case, this goes up to 30 hours, compared to 24 hours on the previous generation AirPods Pro. You can charge the AirPods Pro case using any Qi compatible charger (or a Lightning cable). Plus, it now even supports charging via the Apple Watch charging cradle.
AirPods Pro 2 Price and Availability
The AirPods Pro 2 are priced at $249 — same as the original AirPods Pro. You will be able to order them from September 9, and they will be available to buy starting from September 23. What’s more, alongside the regular engraving options, you can now get your Memoji engraved on the AirPods Pro 2 case as well.
