The AirPods Pro 2 is by far one of the best products released by Apple in 2024, and despite being just a refresh (which I will discuss later on), in my opinion, this brings about a whole new ballgame for other brands to step up their game.
Depending on your age group you may or may not be familiar with the origin story of the AirPods, so before we dive into the actual review, let's wind the clocks back to give you an idea of how much growth this tiny piece of tech has evolved.
Origin Story
The very first AirPod was released back in 2016, this was mainly because of the direction Apple was going for that introduced the iPhone 7 as the first iPhone (smartphone) to drop the 3.5 mm jack. This sparked so much heat in the consumer market simply because everyone (I included) loves the 3.5 mm jack. The transition to wired and wireless was a bummer on so many levels, and those who didn't consider the switch had to resort to using a dongle.
At the time, I was using an Android device and although I did eventually get the iPhone 7 (which I still have but isn't operational at the moment), I too resorted to using a dongle. Much like most consumers, they didn't see the point of spending around 8,000 - 9,000 pesos ( approximately less than $200 ) just to have that wireless feel of listening to music or taking calls.
Personally, In my opinion, Apple made a very brave decision as many were so hooked into the 3.5 mm jack ride that not a lot of people got into the wireless hype train.
Second Times The Charm
In 2019, Apple released the AirPods 2nd gen which was promised to be 50% more enduring (battery life) and is capable to switch between devices in an instant which is a common feature for newer AirPods by today's standards.
This model in particular is a crowd favorite as this is still being sold in 2024. In contrast to the original AirPods, the 2nd generation AirPods came with a few upgrades that were very much welcome, however, as we all know, upgrades mean a higher price tag. Although this may seem off-putting, the upgrades does provide a sense of quality and this applies to any consumer looking for a new pair.
Sound quality-wise, there wasn't much change from the original AirPods or if you're still using the OG EarPods (wired), the upgrades were more inclined towards the life improvement which are as follows:
- Wireless charging
- Qi charging mat compatible
- Increased battery life for listening and talk time
In addition, there were two variants of the AirPods 2nd generation that were released which also differentiates the price but to put it simply, one comes with a charging case through lighting, while the other comes with a wireless charging case which sold approximately around the 10,000 peso mark (close to $200).
Interestingly later that year Apple released the AirPods Pro 1st Generation which took the world by storm as it paved the way to what is considered to be the best pair of wireless earphones for most consumers as well as those who were coming from Android territory switching to iPhones.
Third Time Lucky
After quite some time, fast forward to 2021, Apple finally launched the successor to the second generation AirPods unveiling to the world, the AirPods 3rd generation which revolutionized the way most consumers would listen to music, as they said.
The AirPods 3rd generation came with a refreshed design, making it look more similar to the Pro variant, along with some amazing upgrades that made people's heads turn in terms of how well they perform as a daily driver.
I remember buying this along with my MacBook Air M1 during the lockdowns and given that everything was so strict in terms of transportation or generally where to go, most of us were just at the confines of our homes. The AirPods 3rd Generation made a solid impression for me as It really enhanced my means of listening be it for music or for binge-watching with shows on Netflix and other streaming platforms.
Some of the notable features of the AirPods 3rd Generation are as follows:
- Relatively small stems
- MagSafe Charging case
- Spatial Audio
- HD Facetime calling
- Adaptive (Equalization) EQ
Arguably, this worked wonders for most consumers working from home or attending online classes at the time, as it provided so much clarity and audio enhancements making communication so much better, and the kicker is, the price was relatively similar to the 2nd generation AirPods from launch back in 2019.
However, despite having so many upgrades and improvements, the vast majority of consumers were anticipating a successor to the AirPods Pro that was released back in 2019...
The AirPods Pro 2 - The Much Awaited Refresh
Moving towards 2022, Apple officially unveiled the AirPods Pro 2 also known as the 2nd Generation which gave a lot of consumers quite the confusion at first and I'll explain, and this co-exists with a previous model too.
At the time of this hype, the original AirPods Pro got its own refresh but this wasn't officially announced. This just happened and consumers started grabbing a pair considering it is cheaper in contrast to the new AirPods Pro 2. I for one managed to buy this too and although it was great, I wouldn't say it is that impacting considering that I've tried quite the number of wireless earbuds on the channel.
The AirPods Pro 2 - What's the deal, exactly?
To put things into perspective, the original AirPods Pro was such a hit that for any iPhone, iPad, or Mac user, if you wanted to get the best audio listening experience, aside from the AirPods Max, the AirPods Pro was the default (provide you have the extra scratch to spend).
This may have impacted the stock availability which may have been the case for overproduction (just a theory or assumption), which lead to Apple refreshing the original AirPods Pro but with a type C port. This of course gave consumers the "why buy the 2nd gen if I can get the original Pro's for cheaper".
At the time, this was the usual talking point, but, the big drop here was it was of limited stock availability, even in gray markets this particular AirPods Pro no longer exists, so for availability, you're only left with the following to choose from:
- AirPods 2nd Generation
- AirPods 3rd Generation
- AirPods Pro 2nd Generation - Lightning
- AirPods Pro 2nd Generation - Type C
- AirPods Max
On a side note, although the 2nd generation AirPods are still being sold in most Apple stores (as well as 3rd party authorized sellers if you're in the Philippines), expect to see less of this in the coming months as this is currently being sold for only 6,000 pesos roughly which is a big price drop from its original price a few years ago.
2nd Gen vs 2nd Gen?
The AirPods Pro 2nd Generation also known as the Air Pods Pro 2, originally upon release came with a lightning port back in 2022, and later was refreshed and updated with the Type C port with a MagSafe charging case. Although there wasn't really that significant change in terms of overall performance it was really just the convinience of having to charge via Type C as opposed to Lightning.
This however, can be a win as well as a loss for most consumers, especially those who hasn't adopted to the latest 15 series iPhones that came with a USB C port.
The AirPods Pro 2 - The Verdict
Much like any consumer in the market looking to get a pair of wireless AirPods (Earbuds for other brands), every individual has their taste in terms of sound quality, battery life, and performance, even with the actual fit can be a factor to consider and it is no different with the AirPods Pro 2. Apple just took the initiative in creating a product that generally works for 95% of the population unless you have really tiny ears or really big ones that needs a much bigger set.
If you're an Apple user, or is currently in the Apple Ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 2 is a must-have, especially if you like zoning out while working with your productivity through out the day, with features like "hand-off" allowing you to switch seamlessly between devices while using your AirPods, you can be listening to music on your phone and once a Zoom call kicks in on your iPad or Mac, the audio switches just like magic and back as soon as you're done.
So long as the AirPods Pro 2 are paired, this seamless experience when switching devices can be achieved regardless of which Apple products you're using at that moment in time, making it the best solution for your audio-listening experience needs.
From a tech review perspective, I've done several review videos talking about different wireless earbuds, each with their pros and cons, and are usually just a fraction of the price and that is the weak link of it all. You can never really have the " Perfect Product ", there will always be a downside, but if you're either building your Apple Ecosystem or already is and have been holding out in getting a pair of AirPods, now would be the perfect time to invest on it as this is one of the best products Apple has released in the consumer market. It is quite expensive, but the cost of what you're paying is mainly going to be a means of investment that you can use for communication, leisure, and productivity.
I purchased this AirPods Pro 2 from Power Mac Center, which to me is the best Authorized Apple Reseller in the Philippines, not only are they available nationwide, but they also provide online transactions giving consumers the flexibility to acquire Apple products at their convenience.
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