New high-end wireless headphones from Apple, the second generation AirPods Pro succeed the first model by bringing several welcome improvements in sound quality and noise reduction. And with a rising price.
We do not change a formula that wins. But we can always improve it! This is probably what the Apple teams thought while working on the AirPods Pro of 2e generation, the new high-end wireless headphones from the Apple firm, unveiled during the September 7 back-to-school keynote. As their official name indicates – the name does not change – these models replace the famous AirPods Pro released in 2019 in the catalog. A way to keep only one flagship in the family, without risking losing consumers in a crowd of references as is sometimes the case with some manufacturers. And, in fact, without revolutionizing the genre, the AirPods Pro vintage 2022 appear as a logical evolution of the first of their kind, by applying the recipe of “all the better” which characterizes certain emblematic products. However, if it is clear that the second generation AirPods Pro are better in every way than their predecessors, they are not immune to the general inflation that is taking over the planet – and which is having a strong impact on Apple’s new products. … – with a sharply rising price.
What’s new in AirPods Pro?
Externally, the differences between the two generations are not obvious. The AirPods Pro 2022 retain the design of their predecessors, with their white dress – no other color available – and their semi-in-ear type design with a short stem. A design that has proven itself for three years in terms of comfort and efficiency. It should be noted that Apple now provides four pairs of tips instead of three as standard to adapt the earphones to a greater number of ear morphologies. A detail that is important when you know that the hold in the pavilion but also the sound quality depend enormously on the placement of the headphones in the ear canal. In addition, the touch sensor has been revised to take into account finger swipes, which allows you to control the volume of your headphones without going through a Siri voice command or handling the phone. The AirPods Pro are thus catching up with certain competing models that offer this simple setting…
Always on the practical register, the charging case benefits from several improvements. If its format remains very close to the previous one, it now includes a mini speaker that beeps to help find the headphones when they are misplaced, in association with the Locate function with which it is now compatible. This simple sound device also provides some useful information, such as the pairing status or the remaining battery level. Well seen ! In addition, it has a notch for attaching it to a wrist strap. Finally, the capacity of its battery has been increased, which allows it to offer four charges of the headphones. On the autonomy side, precisely, Apple promises up to 6 hours of use per charge (compared to 4:30 hours on the first AirPods Pro) in listening alone, up to 5.5 hours with Spatial Audio and tracking of the movements of head-activated and up to 4.5 hours of phone talk time on a single charge. Values that are more than correct, especially since the refills with the case offer a total of up to 30 hours of listening and up to 24 hours of conversation – 5 minutes of charging is sufficient even for around 1 hour of listening. Only regret, the case, like other recent Apple products, retains the Lightning port dear to the brand: it will probably be necessary to wait for a third generation to finally see the firm at the apple finally adopt USB-C, which must serve of universal format in the world of electronics.
For the headphones themselves, the real novelties are inside. The AirPods Pro 2e generation benefit from a new in-house chip called H2 and providing many improvements. Apple announces that this signal processor provides active noise reduction twice as effective as on previous models while guaranteeing better reproduction of surrounding sounds in Transparency mode – so as not to isolate yourself completely. To be checked in situ. Thanks to its new algorithms, the H2 chip also improves the famous Spatial Audio function with dynamic tracking of head movements. A device that is very popular for its spectacular side – when the content is adapted, of course – by effectively providing a rather striking feeling of immersion, which constitutes an undeniable argument of seduction for some.
What about sound quality? Of course, Apple promises “an even richer sound” and “more immersive listening” – illustrating the famous sketch by Coluche on the laundry that always washes white. If it is always difficult to rely on self-praise from manufacturers, it is easy to imagine that the newcomers do at least as well as their predecessors, who have been repeatedly praised by experts on this point. Especially since Apple has revised the transducer – the mini-speaker – of the headphones so that it generates less harmonic distortion – this small defect which affects the quality of reproduction while tiring the ear. However, Apple does not give any figures on the matter, contenting itself with speaking of “deeper” bass and “more crystalline” treble. Moreover, despite the hopes of some, the new AirPods Pro do not support the Apple Lossless format – Apple Lossless Audio Codec of its full name – a non-destructive audio format which allows lossless storage and transmission of sound data, unlike the MP3 or AAC, for example. It will be necessary to be satisfied with the AAC, which already gives good results, knowing that Bluetooth is not yet adapted to a reproduction of the audio without loss. Audiophiles know it well: the best headphones and earphones are wired models – and some high-end HF (radio) models – the only ones capable of faithfully transmitting an audio signal, without having to convert it into a compressed format. Nevertheless: the AirPods Pro 2022 should logically do even better than their predecessors, already highly appreciated by professionals – sound engineers and musicians included – for their excellent audio quality.
What is the price of the new AirPods Pro?
Like every other new Apple product since the MacBook Air M2, AirPods Pro 2e generation are more expensive than their predecessors. They will indeed be marketed at the official price of 299 euros, or 20 euros more than the first AirPods Pro. Admittedly, generalized inflation, the rate of the dollar – unfavorable to the euro – and the various technical improvements partly explain this rise ]without justifying them. And, we can hope that, as usual, the new AirPods will benefit from promotions during the traditional sales – Black Friday, Sales… – in a few weeks. But the increases in Apple prices are starting to make people cringe, including among the brand’s loyal followers… Especially since the AirPods pro have to deal with very high quality competing models, such as the excellent Sony WF-1000XM4 or the remarkable Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3. Smart little ones not very sensitive to the sirens of novelty will however be able to make good deals in the coming weeks, insofar as the old model is subject to reductions before definitively disappearing from the catalog.
When is the AirPods Pro 2022 release date?
As usual with Apple, the announcement of a product shortly precedes its availability. Thus, the AirPods Pro 2e generation will be available for pre-order from Friday, September 9 for an effective release scheduled for September 23. You will obviously find them on Apple’s online store – which devotes a dedicated page to them with many details – and in Apple Stores, as well as on the shelves of all classic retailers (Amazon, Boulanger, Cdiscount, Fnac-Darty, Rakuten, etc.). Note that customers who order them with the Apple Store application will be able to add a free Memoji engraving to the cases of AirPods Pro – and other models. A small gift to better pass the increase pill?