How do AirPods work?
All of Apple’s AirPods models rely on Bluetooth technology to deliver a completely wireless listening experience. That means that while they are an Apple product, they are compatible with any devices that support Bluetooth, including Android and Windows PCs.
The pairing process is particularly streamlined for Apple devices, requiring you to simply open the charging case near your iPhone or iPad, after which a popup card will appear requiring just one tap for connection. Once connected, AirPods will automatically pair with any other Apple devices associated with the same Apple account, as well as automatically switch between them, marking the biggest difference between AirPods and other wireless earbuds.
For nonApple devices, you pair AirPods to your device as you would any other Bluetooth device. Pressing and holding the button on the back of the AirPods case will place the inear AirPods models into pairing mode, while for AirPods Max, it’s a simple press and hold of the flat button on the right ear cup. When the LED light on the case or AirPods Max flashes white, the AirPods are in pairing mode and should then appear under “available devices” in Bluetooth settings on your device.
In terms of charging, the inear AirPods models all top themselves up when placed back in their case, which you charge via the charging port at the bottom. The AirPods Max, on the other hand, enter a low power mode when placed back in their case, with the charging port located on the right ear cup of the headphones themselves.
Are Apple AirPods worth it?
There are a number of elements that make Apple’s AirPods worth buying, but their biggest selling points are their convenience features and how well they work with Apple devices. They’re the best headphones for Apple users, overall.
The onetap setup makes connecting them to your Apple devices simple, which is of course great in itself, but it’s after that initial connection is made that the true benefits for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac users come in.
AirPods will automatically connect to your Apple devices as soon as you put them in your ears or on your head after that initial setup is complete, and they switch seamlessly between Apple devices as required, too. You could be listening to music on your iPhone and have a video call come through on your MacBook Air, and the AirPods will switch to the correct device without any input from you.
Features like Automatic Ear Detection allow you to use one AirPod at a time, with audio playback pausing initially as you remove one, before resuming automatically, or stopping completely when you take both AirPods out. It’s also possible to share audio from an Apple device to another pair of AirPods, so two people can watch a movie or listen to audio from one device through two separate pairs of AirPods with separate controls appearing on the screen of the device playing the audio.
What are the disadvantages of AirPods?
Despite the convenience of Apple’s AirPods, there are some considerations to take into account, the first of which is the price. There are several cheaper wireless headphones available, some of which are lot more affordable than AirPods, especially in the case of AirPods Max.
It’s also important to acknowledge that price doesn’t necessarily directly translate to the best sound quality in the market. There’s a great listening experience across all AirPods models for casual users, but audiophiles will need to consider AirPods Pro or AirPods Max and may even be better suited to some of the higherend wireless models available outside the AirPods offering if sound quality is the priority.
Design is also a consideration, with the lowerend AirPods models offering a onesizefitsall approach, which may not offer a snug and comfortable fit for all ear canals. The AirPods Max overears are adjustable and the AirPods Pro models have silicone tips in various sizes, allowing for more flexibility, but some users may find the AirPods 2 and AirPods 4 aren’t secure enough and fall out easily.
It’s also worth noting that none of the AirPods models are waterproof. The AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro models are water and sweatresistant, but they aren’t designed to be worn in the shower or for water sports, including swimming.
How long do AirPods last?
As with most electronics, the battery inside AirPods will degrade over time, eventually affecting performance. Typically, lithiumion batteries – the type of battery you will find in the likes of wireless earbuds including AirPods, along with smartphones and smartwatches – last between 300 and 500 charging cycles or two and three years, whichever comes first, before they begin to weaken.
As the battery deteriorates, you may notice your AirPods don’t hold a charge for as long or the listening time reduces. Apple offers free recycling of its devices when they no longer work as expected, from AirPods to charging cables. The Apple TradeIn website will ask for your address to send a prepaid shipping label to, which you can then print and send off your AirPods for them to be recycled properly.
Why choose Beats over AirPods?
When researching AirPods, you may also have come across Beats. Apple owns Beats, so some of the convenience features offered by AirPods, including onetap connection with Apple devices, can also be found on Beats headphones.
Beats are renowned for their bassheavy sound signature, making them ideal for those who enjoy genres like hiphop, electronic, or pop. They also come in a wider variety of styles and colours than AirPods, making them a great option if you would like something that offers the convenience of AirPods but in a more exciting finish.
If you enjoy the gym, the Beats Fit Pro are a good option to consider, offering a secure fit with wing tips and three different silicone tips. These unsurprisingly did well in the Good Housekeeping Institute’s test of the best headphones for exercise. They also have a range of features from active noise cancellation and ondevice controls to water and sweat resistance, as well as a cheaper price as AirPods Pro 2.
The Beats Studio Buds and Beats Studio Buds+ (another top performer from the Good Housekeeping Institute tests) are also worth considering if you’re looking for an alternative to AirPods. Their design is more in line with traditional wireless earbuds with neither offering a stem. The more expensive Studio Buds+ have four tip sizes to fit a range of ears and offer decent active noise cancellation, while the Studio Buds are still sweat and waterresistant like the Buds+ and Beats Fit Pro, but cheaper.
What are the best AirPods alternatives?
While Apple’s AirPods were responsible for popularising wireless earbuds, they aren’t the only options available. The wireless earbuds market has a number of alternative options to AirPods from Bose and Sony to Sennheiser and Nothing.
The Nothing Ear earbuds (£129) offer a transparent design with great sound quality, outperforming a number of more expensive models in this category. The company also sells the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds as an even cheaper alternative at £99, making either of these a good value option.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have some of the best noisecancelling in the market, along with Sony’s WF1000XM5, while the Technics EAHAZ100 and Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 4 offer superb hifi sound quality. Many Android users will find a lot to like about the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2, but if you have a Samsung phone, get the excellent Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro instead.
For overear alternatives to the AirPods Max, Sony’s WH1000XM5 or WH1000XM6 are excellent allrounders, even if they don’t look as premium as Apple’s option. If premium is what you’re looking for, Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 overears are both luxurious and very capable.
