Apple AirPods 2: Better Battery Life, Wireless Charging Case and Siri Support

On Wednesday, Apple silently announced the release of its new AirPods 2 on its online store. The pair of earbuds is expected to arrive in retail stores the following week.

AirPods 2 are equipped with H1 wireless chip, which according to the company, will bring about more talk time, faster connect times, more efficient performance, and “Hey Siri” hands-free support.

There are two AirPods 2 price tags currently being offered by Apple: $159 for ones with the standard charging case or $199 for ones with the wireless charging case.

For people who already own the previous-generation model, the wireless charging case alone will cost $79.

Apple AirPods 2 comes with the new H1 chip which the company says will deliver better synchronization, audio quality and 50% more talk time. The time it takes for the AirPods 2 to connect to devices will also be twice as fast compared to the original ones.

The new AirPods are the latest addition to the series of new Apple products launched this week, including a refreshed iMac and new iPads.

Back in December, Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most reputable Apple analysts, predicted that in the first quarter of 2019, Apple would bring new changes to its wireless earbuds. Kuo’s prediction also matches the improvements in the new AirPods: a wireless charging case and improved connectivity. He also added that by 2020, Apple would release another version of AirPods but with a more remarkable redesign.

In 2016, the first AirPods made its debut alongside the iPhone 7, the company’s first iPhone to get rid of the traditional headphone jack.

Although AirPods’ sales data has not been disclosed, Kuo estimates that they are doing well on the market.

Kuo forecasts that about 50 to 55 million pairs of AirPods will be purchased in 2019. He also mentioned that the “growth momentum” of these wire earbuds would probably be the “fastest among Apple products.”