How to improve Apple’s already great AirPods

“Last week, we heard the latest report that Apple is working on updates to AirPods, the wireless headphones it introduced in the fall of 2016,” Jason Snell writes for Macworld. “”

“This report about forthcoming new generations of AirPods hit me in a strange way. Usually, anyone who follows Apple (or any tech company, really) has a wish list of features—realistic ones for the short term, wild dreams for the long term,” Snell writes. “But the AirPods? They emerged from Apple as a fully formed product.”

“I don’t have a lot of complaints about them—they basically exceeded my expectations in every area, and they’re now my go-to headphones for all circumstances where I don’t need zero-latency audio (podcast editing) or to block out loud noises (flying on planes or mowing the lawn),” Snell writes. “How do you improve a product that’s got so little to prove?”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: We just want a charging case with an indicator light on the outside. Having to opening the top of the case to see it is a “pain,” in a wholly first world way. Everything else, from the fit to the weight of the AirPods, is just fine. Oh, okay, maybe a bit more battery life, but that goes for every portable product.

SEE ALSO:
Apple plans upgrades to popular AirPods wireless earbuds – February 22, 2018

23 Comments

    1. FTA: “They emerged from Apple as a fully formed product”
      But then : “they’re now my go-to headphones for all circumstances where I don’t need zero-latency audio”

      ..or even low-latency. Any kind of live video w/ sync audio is a bad experience on AirPods. Tightening that up to at least be on par with competitors’ latencies would be an area they can work on.

      Add to that the tendency for a phone to not realize the AirPods are not in your ears anymore and keep sending email/text message notification sounds to them.

      Plenty of room for improvement.

    1. I find it very odd that a company like Apple, which has a long tradition of offering solutions for people with visual impairments, left handers and dexterity issues, continues to offer EarPods which will only fit certain types of ears and offers no alternative for those without Apple’s idea of the perfectly shaped ear.

      As one with ears that AirPods don’t fit, and neither do the cabled EarPods either, it’s a big drawback for me and is another reason why I prefer an iPhone SE with a headphone jack so that I can use high quality third party earbuds.

  1. I want Multi touch. On one AirPod, slide your finger up to increase the volume, down to decrease the volume. On the other, slide up to advance the track, down to reverse or go to the previous track. In this case, Up is toward the tip of the ear, down is toward the earlobe. This would make it so we don’t even have to look at our watches and iPhones.

    1. Yes, multi touch. I want to be able to control volume as well as the current pause and play.

      I would also like a unique tap to hang up the phone, as I often accidentally hang up when adjusting the airpod during a conversation.

    2. It’s obvious you don’t own AirPods, or if you do, it is obvious you have never tried sliding your finger up and down side stem of the AirPod.

      Try it and you’ll see that it moves the AirPod around in your ear. There’s a reason Apple never did that in the first place, and that is because that way of using an AirPod simply does not work.

      Keep living in fairy land until then though.

  2. I’ve always had a problem with earphones falling out because I have extra-large ears. The AirPods miraculously don’t fall out, but in case an accident happens, I’d like them to be submersible so that if they fall into the sink or a puddle, I can just dry them out.

    When Apple makes waterproof AirPods, I’ll definitely flap my ears and fly off to the Apple Store to buy a pair.

    1. I’ve got those big ear sockets too. These work well when I do nothing or walk. If I run or workout at the gym, they still have issues with my ear holes. Never bothered getting any add-on rubber fitting for these since they would not fit back in to the charging case. Would be great if they could figure out a way to still charge them while having a minimal ear attachment/adapter on them.

  3. multi-touch volume control… calling up Siri… and last but not least, pass through option with options… keep them in while around family listening to music and NOT miss anything or… turn music/audio play off and have a fully functional pair of high tech hearing aids! Too cool.

    1. Bingo! Lost mine after I went through security at the airport. Sucked not having them for my trip.

      They can only be tracked (or audio tone played) when the case is open. Doesn’t make sense to me, especially since the case tends to flip closed on its own.

  4. … Bluetooth 5! Its bandwidth is far wider, enough to end the drastic lossy audio compression inherent with Bluetooth.

    But of course, we’d need Bluetooth 5 compatible Macs and iOS devices. Bleeding edge dreaming.

    1. It’s obvious you don’t own AirPods, or if you do, have no idea how to use them.

      Double tap NEVER fails for me. To be someone who can’t double tap means you fail at life.

      Hey Siri works PERFECTLY with your iPhone or Apple Watch, so again to claim this means you are either lying, are an Android user, a Samsung troll or are simply an idiot.

      Or all of the lying sack of above.

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