Apple has launched AirPods Pro that features Active Noise Cancellation and a new in-ear design. AirPods Pro join the existing AirPods line and are priced at Rs 24,900. The hearables will be available in the US from October 30, and will be on shelves in India ‘soon’. Apple says it has designed an H1 chip that features 10 audio cores and delivers low audio processing latency for real-time noise cancellation.
‘AirPods are the best-selling headphones in the world. The one-tap setup experience, incredible sound and iconic design have made them a beloved Apple product, and with AirPods Pro, we’re taking the magic even further. The new in-ear AirPods Pro with Adaptive EQ fit comfortably with flexible ear tips and have innovative Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode,’ Phil Schiller, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, said in a statement.
AirPods Pro comes with three different sizes of silicone ear tips for a comfortable fit and a superior seal. The hearables use a vent system to equalise pressure and minimize discomfort. The AirPods Pro are sweat- and water-resistant. Apple says that Active Noise Cancellation on AirPods Pro uses two microphones that are combined with software to continuously adapt to each individual ear and remove background noise.
‘The first microphone is outward-facing and detects external sound to analyse environmental noise. AirPods Pro then create an equivalent anti-noise that cancels out background noise before it reaches the listener’s ear. A second inward-facing microphone listens toward the ear, and AirPods Pro cancel remaining noise detected by the microphone. Noise cancellation continuously adapts the sound signal 200 times per second,’ Apple adds.
As mentioned, AirPods Pro have Adaptive EQ, which automatically tunes the low- and mid-frequencies of the music to the shape of an individual’s ear. A custom high dynamic range amplifier produces clear sound while also extending battery life, and powers a custom high-excursion, low-distortion speaker driver. The driver provides consistent, rich bass down to 20Hz and mid- and high-frequency audio.
The hearables come with ‘Transparency Mode’ that provides users with the option to simultaneously listen to music while still hearing the environment around them using the pressure-equalising vent system and software. Switching between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes can be done directly on AirPods Pro using a force sensor on the stem. The force sensor also makes it easy to play, pause or skip tracks, and answer or hang up phone calls. Users can also press on the volume slider in Control Center on iPhone and iPad to control settings, or on Apple Watch by tapping on the AirPlay icon while music is playing.
The AirPods Pro have a system-in-package (SiP) design, thanks to the Apple-designed H1 chip that features 10 audio cores. Apple claims that the hearables feature up to five hours of listening time on a single charge. In Active Noise Cancellation mode, AirPods Pro deliver up to four and a half hours of listening time and up to three and a half hours of talk time on a single charge. Through additional charges from the Wireless Charging Case, AirPods Pro are said to deliver over 24 hours of listening time or over 18 hours of talk time.
