Apple AirPods: Are they any good?
I’ve taken the plunge and I’ve purchased a pair of Apple AirPods to compliment my iPhone 7 Plus, the smartphone that was released last Autumn (yes, the one without the headphone jack).
When the new iPhone 7 Plus was announced last year, people were quick to judge the removal of the headphone jack, and I must admit so was I.
I’m not here to discuss the headphone jack, but like many others, I felt I was being cornered into purchasing something else, whether it is another dongle or a pair of wireless earphones. I still feel this way, but a little less so after trying the AirPods… I can’t help but feel that because I can now charge my iPhone at the same time as listening to music, this is what they wanted?
From a technology evolution point, from performance to making devices more water resistant, I totally get why they removed it. I’m glad they did…
This is what I like and dislike about the Apple AirPods:
Likes
- Set up – connecting your Apple AirPods to your iPhone is very easy indeed. It’s just like the advert, flip the case and you are prompted to connect
- Multi devices – thanks to iCloud, your AirPods are connected to any Apple device that you are using with the same iCloud account. Mac… iPad… other iPhones… they all work straight away
- Sound quality – the sound quality is noticeably a step up from the current wired Apple ear phones. Even the ones that were boxed with the iPhone 7 last Autumn. They aren’t as good as some high end earphones, BUT these are Bluetooth… and for that reason, they’re superb. They will be more than good enough for the majority of people (honestly)
- Charging – I love the fact that the earphones are being charged up every time I add them back into their case
- Play / Pause – when you pull out one of the earphones, your music temporarily pauses. Put it back in and it plays from where you left it. Great for small interruptions
- Shortcuts – you can easily change the ‘double tap’ shortcut on your earphones via your iPhone. For example – change it from the default that’s activating Siri on double tap to pause/play music
- Fit / design – for me, I find the Apple AirPods very comfortable… they fit me well. They are very secure in my ears and I have no problem when walking and running. They don’t fall out!
Dislikes
- Cost – everyone says this, but the majority of us have probably never parted with more than £50 for earphones. That said, these are quality and people pay for the “Likes” mentioned above
- Design – I do like the design, but these are still fairly new and not many people are wearing them in public. This was my initial put off from buying them… they’re growing on me, and the people that do look are those that are jealous (although I haven’t experienced this myself)
- Shortcuts – I “like” the idea and the fact that you can change them, but at the moment you can only switch between the two options mentioned above, or to turn it off completely. It would be nice to see a shortcut to skip tracks… then I’m sold, I don’t like to use Siri… especially in public
- Fit – for me they’re great, but I know a few people have reported them falling out. It would be great to see some different size options to make them snug for those that have this issue. I am worried about losing one of them, but again, I haven’t had this issue (yet)
Verdict
For someone that was skeptical at first, I really like them.
After using the Apple AirPods for a few days, I can definitely see why Apple has removed the headphone jack and opted for these instead. It totally makes sense.
I know a few people have reported the connection dropping between AirPods and their iPhone, but this isn’t something that I’ve experienced myself. I almost didn’t buy these at the thought of using public transport and my music randomly blasting out. BUT I’m glad I did buy them.
People have been discussing price from the day they were announced, and yes they are on the expensive side. However, when compared to other rival products, the price point is either in the middle bracket of what’s available now, or at the expensive end of products that are yet to be released. It depends if you want to be “first” or not?
On the design front, they are a new product and not many people are wearing them, so expect looks, or so I’m told. They are different as the white stems are longer and thicker to handle the battery and all that tech. They’re just different and new… there isn’t really anything bad about them.
I can see these working really well with the Apple Watch, and I must admit, I’m a little gutted that I sold my watch a year ago. I would love to be using a Apple Watch right now with these… anyone want to send me one to try out?
Buying earphones are a personal choice, just like watches and jewellery, so these won’t be for everyone, but they are at least worth trying.
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