The AirPods (left) and AirPods Pro (right). The original AirPods could take on the pro look this year.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Apple may have the new AirPods 3 ready in 2021. After a year in my house and trying to get the job done, AirPods have become a practically indispensable tool. There are plenty of other excellent Bluetooth earbuds out there, but AirPods are still impressive right away and have really good microphones. The ability to switch from one ear to the other also helped me extend battery life by having one ear through long meetings.
The Second generation AirPods are almost two years old while AirPods Pro are over a year oldand have evolved. Apple spatial audio added in 2020 and the massively expensive AirPods max came up with a different suggestion (I prefer small earbuds, not big headphones) so what does AirPods 3 bring? And what do I want anyway? For me it’s mostly about a better connection.
AirPods Pro Lite buds could give all AirPods the Pro look
According to the latest reports, the third generation AirPods will look like the pros, minus the active noise cancellation and spatial audio features. That said, they have shorter stems and interchangeable earbuds of various sizes.
I appreciate the AirPod Pro design and its less noticeable look, but I have mixed feelings about the earbuds. The deeper in-ear feel makes for better noise cancellation, but I appreciate the simpler and more passage-friendly design of the originals for the occasional call monitoring. Maybe Apple will somehow split the difference.
AirPods Pro Lite could also be more expensive than the second generation AirPods, which is not ideal at all. Perhaps they would deliver better sound or better battery life so that the potential price hike is worth it.
The AirPods Pro have pass-through audio and noise cancellation. Don’t expect all of this with entry-level AirPods, but hopefully you can make progress with Bluetooth connectivity.
Angela Lang / CNET
I want AirPods to swap devices with ease
Apple’s newest iOS 14 and Big Sur Operating system updates have helped AirPods automatically connect to Apple devices faster, but I still need to check to see if AirPods are paired during a Zoom or FaceTime time. Sometimes I also run into bugs that also separate the AirPods.
However, I don’t want to just switch to the device I’m using: I want to actively switch or even mix sources while multitasking. I’m looking at my cell phone, laptop, and even a television at the same time. I would love to type to swap, or maybe even use my head orientation so the AirPods can somehow tell which device I’m using. Have Apple’s newest devices U1 chips this can spatially recognize where other Apple devices are located. New AirPods could perhaps use more of them too. Keep in mind that even the expensive AirPods Max doesn’t have a U1 chip, so the less-expensive AirPods probably don’t either … but it’s an interesting thought.
Or I would even like to use source mixing options (a feed from my laptop, a video from my iPhone). Apple already mixes ambient noise with an audio source transparency – Could it go on? Or could Apple do smarter audio analysis of ambient noise and adjust what you’re hearing to add treble, bass, or spoken voices?
AirPods don’t measure heart rate, but they should work even more closely with the Apple Watch.
Sarah Tew / CNET
What about the fitness features of AirPods?
Apple just launched its own Fitness Plus Workout Subscriptionwhat one requires Apple Watch. AirPods are an important part of the Apple Watch music workout triangle, but so far the Airpods’ built-in tap controls have been pretty limiting and lacking in position awareness.
Continue reading: A Week With Apple Fitness Plus: Beat My Lockdown Weight Gain
Adding more shortcuts or tapping gestures for workouts and activity monitoring might be useful. Could AirPods know when to start running or exercising? The AirPods Pro have gyros and accelerometers that allow for more movement and position awareness. Next-gen AirPods Pro could do more of this, but hopefully third-gen AirPods too.
Apple is unlikely to add actual health monitoring sensors like step counting or heart rate to AirPods. However, the Apple Watch and AirPods should form an even more symbiotic pair. Heart rate and fitness values, possibly even deeper watch control with AirPods commands. It should be noted, however, that ears are a pretty good place to measure heart rate.
Look at that:
1 year with the AirPods Pro
10:47
We’ll likely learn more about Airpods 3 later this year
I wouldn’t hold back on getting AirPods right now, but keep in mind that new models should arrive sometime before the end of 2021. Battery life, audio performance, and fitness are logical places to focus on. But I hope they find a way to connect better, more reliable wearables for everything.