Apple debuts new AirPods Pro 2 that look a lot like the old ones

You got AirPods in my iPhone event!

During the iPhone 14 reveal stream on Wednesday, Sept. 7, Apple took a quick detour to audio-land and unveiled the newest AirPods: the AirPods Pro 2.

These new AirPods Pro 2 will customize sound profiles when using spatial audio to fit the shape of your ears, relying on a tag team of iOS 16 and the iPhone’s TrueDepth sensor. You’ll also get as much as six hours of listening time on a full charge.

The AirPods Pro 2 will launch on Sept. 23 for $250, the same price as the old AirPods Pro from 2019.

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Aside from personalized spatial audio and improved battery life, most of the improvements to the new generation of AirPods Pro are very iterative. There’s a new H2 chip inside the earbuds that should produce better audio quality and active noise cancelation is said to be better this time around, too. Apple also added “adaptive transparency mode,” which can reduce sudden loud noises around you when you have transparency mode turned on for a better listening experience.

Engraved memoji, folks.

Credit: Apple

You can still use the AirPod Pro 2’s stem to control playback and, this time, there’s a touch sensor that lets you increase or decrease volume by scrolling up and down on the stem with a finger. There’s also a new charging case with a built-in lanyard loop and the ability to track down the case using Find My on an iPhone.

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You can even engrave your own memoji on the case, if you want. The case still charges via Lightning, so the USB-C revolution has not yet reached AirPods.

The biggest surprise with AirPods Pro 2 is that they’re not more different. Credible reporting from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last year that the 2022 AirPods Pro update would feature a total redesign, with in-ear wingtips similar to the excellent Beats Fit Pro. But, instead, Apple’s new AirPods Pro 2 look pretty much the same as the 2019 model.

No need to reinvent the wheel, I guess.