Apple’s week of hardware announcements continued on Wednesday with the reveal of its second-generation AirPods. The new wireless headphones feature an H1 chip that the company claims will improve performance, allow for faster connection times, increase talk time, and enable support for hands-free Siri.
“AirPods delivered a magical wireless experience and have become one of the most beloved products we’ve ever made. They connect easily with all of your devices, and provide crystal clear sound and intuitive, innovative control of your music and audio,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
The Apple-designed H1 chip is said to enhance virtually everything about the AirPods, boosting the talk time by 50% over the first-gen AirPods, as well as cutting the time it takes to sync up with an iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad in half. The new AirPods also support “Hey Siri,” which means you can now change songs, make a phone call, adjust the volume, or get directions by saying “Hey Siri” followed by the command.
There are two options when it comes to purchasing the new AirPods. You can either pick up the standard AirPods, which come with the same charging case at the same $159 price point, or the AirPods paired with the new wireless charging case, which costs $199. Both cases hold enough charge for up to 24 hours of additional listening time, but wireless case is compatible with Qi wireless chargers, so you don’t have to plug it in.
Finally, if you already own a pair of AirPods and don’t feel like shelling out for the upgrade, you can grab the wireless charging case separately on Apple’s website for $79.99. All three options are available now.
