[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Apple has unveiled its new wireless earphones, the ‘AirPods 3’. Featuring a new design and support for spatial audio, the sound quality has been improved, and battery life has also been extended.
On the 18th (local time), Apple held a special event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, where it announced the new wireless earphones, the ‘3rd generation AirPods’.
Greg Joswiak, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, explained, “AirPods have completely changed the concept of wireless earphones with their revolutionary design, astonishing sound, and immersive experience. They feature unmatched sound realized through Adaptive EQ, spatial audio implemented with dynamic head tracking technology, and seamless switching across Apple devices.”
The AirPods 3 have a completely new exterior design. With a lightweight and contoured shape, they achieve the optimal angle to comfortably deliver sound inside the ear. Additionally, the main body is shorter than before, and like the AirPods Pro, they are equipped with an intuitive force sensor for media control. To allow users to jog or exercise while wearing them, they have sweat and water resistance. Both the earphones and charging case have an IPX4 water resistance rating.
Above all, the audio performance has been enhanced. Specially designed drivers and a high dynamic range amplifier produce rich bass and clear treble sounds. The microphones are made with acoustic mesh material to reduce wind noise and deliver clear voice during calls. They support AAC-ELD, an excellent voice codec that provides full HD voice quality, offering clear and natural conversation experiences during FaceTime (video calls).
The AirPods 3 are equipped with an ‘Adaptive EQ’ feature. This adjusts the sound in real-time according to the fit inside the ear. The internal microphone monitors the sound, and the Adaptive EQ adjusts the bass and midrange frequencies to compensate for any loss caused by differences in fit.
The ‘spatial audio’ feature, which enables a three-dimensional experience like a theater, is also a highlight. The AirPods 3 enhance users’ music listening immersion through ‘Dolby Atmos’.
Battery life of the AirPods 3 has also increased by one hour compared to previous models. Listening time is up to 6 hours, and talk time is up to 4 hours. A 5-minute charge provides about 1 hour of use. The charging case of the 3rd generation AirPods includes wireless charging functionality.
Additionally, the AirPods 3 automatically connect to Apple devices such as the iPhone as soon as the charging case is opened. The newly introduced skin detection sensor accurately determines whether the AirPods are inside the ear or in a pocket or on a table, and will pause playback if they are not properly positioned.
The new AirPods are priced at 249,000 KRW and can be ordered from Apple’s website starting today. They will be available in stores from the 26th.
Apple also announced that starting this fall, it will launch a new subscription music streaming plan called ‘Apple Music Voice’ in 17 countries including the United States, Australia, and Japan. This plan allows users to listen to music through simple voice commands via the AI voice assistant ‘Siri’.
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