I mentioned in an earlier post how I like all things Apple. They make quality products (although they have been slipping a bit of late) and their operating systems – macOS, iOS, watchOS – are pretty solid and stable. So, when Apple decided to do away with the audio plug on their iPhones, I was a bit upset. That is until I got my very own Apple AirPods.
The AirPods have been around since 2016 and I put off purchasing mine until 2017. Apple created the demand for the AirPods by simply getting rid of the audio jack on their phones. Yes, it was self-serving and a bit sneaky. But once again, Apple backed their boldness with an exceptional new product. So, with that’s said, here’s what I like and don’t like about the AirPods.
What I like About the Apple AirPods
- The Design – A truncated, blue-toothed version of their standard earbuds that are still packaged with iPhones.
- The sound quality
- Durability – They fall out, hit the floor, but keep on working
- Simple to pair with other Apple Devices
- The charging status on an iOS device
- The battery life when listening to music or watching a movie
- The speed of charging both the case and the Airpods
- Easy to switch between iOS devices
- Automatically connect to iOS devices – easy to disconnect as well.
- Music pauses when removed from ear
- Siri is just a double tap away
What I Don’t Like About the Apple AirPods
- The fit in my ear. It’s uncomfortable
- To fully enjoy you need to eliminate background noise
- The price – There are cheaper Bluetooth earbuds available
- No strap – If they fall from your ear, well, let’s hope you’re not in the bathroom
- Can’t use with onboard entertainment when on an airplane
- Hard to pair with non-Apple devices
- Shorter battery life when talking on the phone – They drain quickly.
Overall, I like my Apple AirPods. They’re not the perfect sound solution, but suit me just fine. As I mentioned, there are cheaper Bluetooth earbuds available, some of which deliver comparable or better sound quality. The decision to buy them or not all boils down to your own individual preferences. Since I like Apple products and have had a good run with all of my Apple devices, it was an easy decision for me.
And the future of the AirPods look even brighter. News coming out of the Silicon Valley have hinted that future versions of the AirPods might be more water resistant. In addition, the case itself may someday become a stand-alone music player. So, there’s still quite a bit of development planned for these unique earbuds. Regardless of which way you decide to go – with the AirPods or with another Bluetooth enabled earbuds – it is clear that the future for wireless earbuds is rich with possibilities both in quality and in technological advances.
