New AirPods and AirPods Pro reportedly coming in 2021, AirPods Studio delayed

By Simon Cohen October 26, 2020

We’ll see new versions of both the entry-level Apple AirPods and the AirPods Pro in 2021, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

Citing unnamed sources within Apple who are purported to be familiar with the company’s audio plans, the AirPods could inherit some of the AirPods Pro’s design cues, with a shorter external stem and, most notably, an in-ear format with swappable silicone tips.

This has been rumored in the past, which suggests there’s some weight to the idea. However, an in-ear style might alienate some buyers who prefer the current design because of its lack of an ear canal-sealing tip. The report also claims that Apple is working on ways to improve battery life. Currently, AirPods and AirPods Pro get about 5 hours of operation before needing to be recharged, a number that is falling lower and lower against the industry average.

The second-generation AirPods Pros will purportedly lose their stem entirely as Apple moves toward a more round shape that Bloomberg says may resemble products from Samsung, Amazon, and Google. However, the report cautions that challenges with this new, more compact shape may prevent Apple from entirely removing the stems.

Along with the predictions around Apple’s true wireless products, the report also claimed that it could be a while before we see the highly anticipated AirPods Studio, Apple’s rumored first attempt at a high-end set of noise-canceling headphones.

“The headphones were due to go into production weeks ago,” the report said, “but that was pushed back due to problems with the headband […] that part was deemed too tight in some testing.”

Also included in the post is speculation around Apple’s HomePod business. It claims that Apple is mulling a new HomePod speaker that would occupy the middle ground between the new $99 HomePod mini and the larger $299 HomePod.

Such a move would make sense given that both Amazon and Google have been experimenting with different designs and prices for their respective smart speaker products. Recently, Amazon launched new versions of its Echo and Echo Dot, with new spherical shapes that are reminiscent of Apple’s HomePod mini. Google also just launched a new $100 smart speaker, the Nest Audio.

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Contributing Editor, A/V

Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…

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Apple has upgraded the AirPods Pro with lossless audio, sort of

Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C.

Amid the slew of new Apple products launched today, only the tiniest mention was made of the fact that Apple has also given the AirPods Pro Gen 2 wireless earbuds a not-so-minor refresh. Along with the expected addition of USB-C, making the AirPods Pro the first Apple headphones to ditch the Lightning connector, Apple has also given the iconic white noise-canceling earbuds the ability to do lossless audio wirelessly -- something that has never been seen on the AirPods family before, and is even a rarity among non-Apple wireless audio devices.

There is, however, a catch. The "groundbreaking wireless audio protocol" that allows for lossless audio at 20-bit/48 kHz (a better-than-CD-quality resolution) is powered by the AirPods Pro's H2 chip, but for now, it only works when paired with the upcoming Apple Vision Pro headset. At the moment, Qualcomm's aptX Lossless Bluetooth codec (when used with compatible wireless headphones and smartphones) is the only technology that supports lossless audio wirelessly, and even that technology is limited to 16-bit/48kHz.

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Second-generation AirPods Pro have USB-C now, too

Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C.

In one of the least-kept surprises of today's iPhone 15 event, Apple announced that the second-generation AirPods Pro are switching to USB-C for their charging case.

That's a big deal because they'll now use the same charger as the iPad and MacBook — and also because they can use any other USB-C cable that you've got laying around. And because we're not talking about a device with a huge battery capacity, you don't need to worry so much about whether you have the right USB-C cable. Things should charge just fine, and fast enough, given that the battery case only sports a 523 mAh battery.

Audio / Video

Are Apple AirPods waterproof? Everything you need to know

AirPods 3 on an athlete.

So, you just bought yourself a nice new pair of AirPods, or you're thinking about it because they're among the best wireless earbuds you can buy, and you're wondering if they're waterproof. The answer is no, AirPods are not waterproof and you should not wear them while swimming or in the shower or during a water balloon fight. But, if the pair of AirPods you've got (or got your eye on) is either the third-generation AirPods or the first or second-generation AirPods Pro, then you're in luck as they are water resistant.

We're going to get into what all that means and break down how water resistant each AirPods model is and what their water-resistance ratings mean for your daily activities. Let's go.
Water resistant vs. waterproof
As we mentioned above, none of Apple's AirPods -- AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPod Max -- are waterproof. But what is "waterproof" anyway? From an electronic device standpoint, being waterproof means that the device is watertight and can be completely submerged in water. There's a common ratings system designed for electronics to measure this (as well as dust and dirt resistance) known as the IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which we cover in our post on the water-resistance rating system.