Apple said to be upgrading AirPods with 'Hey Siri' & better water resistance

Posted:
in General Discussion
Apple is reportedly planning to treat AirPods like its flagship devices, releasing relatively frequent iterations -- beginning with an update this year.




The next pair is allegedly codenamed "B288," and expected to let people trigger Siri by saying "Hey Siri," Bloomberg sources said on Thursday. Currently, owners must tap one of the earbuds.

The product is also anticipated to get an upgrade from the Apple-designed W1 wireless chip. The company could conceivably use the W2, found in the Apple Watch Series 3.

A subsequent 2019 upgrade will be "water-resistant" -- resistant to splashes, but not being submerged, the sources said. That statement is problematic, as AirPods are at least partly water-resistant already. They're worn by many gym-goers, and user tests have seen them survive being submerged. It could be that Apple plans to further toughen them, though that wouldn't be a marquee feature.

The first-generation AirPods have been a smash hit, often in such demand that even now it can take a week or more for an online order to ship. The product should be relatively easy to find at retail stores though, and many competing wireless earbuds are on the market.
jahblade
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 48
    ivanhivanh Posts: 597member
    We want a “durable” product. Not something “aged” in just a year.
    jbdragon
  • Reply 2 of 48
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    ivanh said:
    We want a “durable” product. Not something “aged” in just a year.


    So long as it still works, no one if forcing you to upgrade. I'm onto the 4th year of my iPhone 6. Just because Apple releases a product upgrade every year, doesn't mean you have to upgrade every year or every other year. Most products (At least electronics) get updated every year even though you may not see any difference.

    I'm still using, and right now, wearing my Original Apple Watch. Even though there's been a Apple Watch 1, 2 and now 3 since then.
    king editor the gratelordjohnwhorfinjahbladeroakemacxpressschlacksmiffy31Sgt Storms(trooper)StrangeDaystmay
  • Reply 3 of 48
    jcs2305jcs2305 Posts: 1,336member
    lightvox said:
    Useless to me until they implement passive noise cancelling.  Every Apple headphone (not including Beats) has sounded horrible (weak bass and mids) because the earbuds don't properly seal.  Clear example of design over function.
    There are actually some folks that these fit correctly. So this is merely your opinion, not a fact.  Personally If I could get them to fit correctly in both ears I would buy this immediately. The fit in my right ear is good, but my left ear canal is just a tad smaller so the fit and sound is as you stated. Also I think some folks like the fact that you can hear your surroundings as they use them while they walk around the city, or at work where they need to be aware of what is going on around them.

    I personally have the Beats X because I like the fit ( because of what I described above )  but to say design over function is a bit of an overstatement in my opinion. They don't suit your needs, but millions of others are love them...
    mike1Rayz2016lordjohnwhorfinsmiffy31Sgt Storms(trooper)StrangeDaystmaywatto_cobrasansdouglas bailey
  • Reply 4 of 48
    lightvox said:
    Useless to me until they implement passive noise cancelling.  Every Apple headphone (not including Beats) has sounded horrible (weak bass and mids) because the earbuds don't properly seal.  Clear example of design over function.
    "sounded horrible" is a stretch IMO. There are better headphones, sure, but I think the current AirPods bass is just fine. A "clear example of design over function" is in the eye of the beholder. Also, I prefer the AirPods snug fit versus in-ear buds that "seal". That's an uncomfortable feeling for my ears.
    randominternetpersonSgt Storms(trooper)tmayjahbladesanswatto_cobraracerhomie3lolliverjony0
  • Reply 5 of 48
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    lightvox said:
    Useless to me until they implement passive noise cancelling.  Every Apple headphone (not including Beats) has sounded horrible (weak bass and mids) because the earbuds don't properly seal.  Clear example of design over function.
    Then buy something else. They work great in my ears, but not my wife's. So, she uses another brand.
    Sgt Storms(trooper)StrangeDaysjahbladewatto_cobralolliverjony0
  • Reply 6 of 48
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    ivanh said:
    We want a “durable” product. Not something “aged” in just a year.


    These look quite durable. Try eBay.
    schlackwonkothesaneSgt Storms(trooper)StrangeDaysGG1tmaysanswatto_cobrazroger73racerhomie3
  • Reply 7 of 48
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member

    lightvox said:
    Useless to me until they implement passive noise cancelling.  Every Apple headphone (not including Beats) has sounded horrible (weak bass and mids) because the earbuds don't properly seal.  Clear example of design over function.
    Wow, millions of people who like “horrible” headphones, huh? Are they just stupid and inferior to your expertise?
    Sgt Storms(trooper)StrangeDaystmaywatto_cobralolliverjony0brucemc
  • Reply 8 of 48
    roakeroake Posts: 809member
    I love these things.  I use them every day.  It would be amazing if I didn’t have to be concerned about getting them wet.
    schlackSgt Storms(trooper)watto_cobrabrucemc
  • Reply 9 of 48
    ivanh said:
    We want a “durable” product. Not something “aged” in just a year.
    Hear ye hear ye, all forward progress should stop the moment I make a purchase, so as to not hurt my sensibilities.
    Sgt Storms(trooper)StrangeDaystmaywatto_cobrashrave10racerhomie3lolliverstanthemanmacguijony0
  • Reply 10 of 48
    When these were announced I thought they looked absurd. I've done a 180 and now I want some! But I can't buy until Apple makes a case that closes with silicone hooks on the AirPods because they don't stay in my ear without them (and I don't want to take them off and store them separately every time I put them away)
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 48
    Kudos to @gatorguy predicting this development (in the comments about the smart speaker satisfaction survey) 3 hours after this article was published!
    tmaywatto_cobralolliverbrucemc
  • Reply 12 of 48
    thedbathedba Posts: 762member
    ivanh said:
    We want a “durable” product. Not something “aged” in just a year.
    And how exactly are your AirPods not durable?
    Have they stopped working?
    StrangeDayswatto_cobradouglas baileyracerhomie3lolliverbrucemc
  • Reply 13 of 48
    ivanh said:
    We want a “durable” product. Not something “aged” in just a year.
    Christ man, every post. Look if Apple gear makes you so unhappy, sell it (highest resale values in the sector), get some knockoffs, and troll android sites with this dreck. 

    As is, you look completely ignorant. Nothing has made my over-a-year-old APs stop working, and a newer version won't either.
    watto_cobraracerhomie3lollivermacguibrucemc
  • Reply 14 of 48

    lightvox said:
    Useless to me until they implement passive noise cancelling.  Every Apple headphone (not including Beats) has sounded horrible (weak bass and mids) because the earbuds don't properly seal.  Clear example of design over function.
    Nooope. Seal just fine here. Not a clear example of form over function. They're slick. I wear them for work, workouts, and recreation every day. Sorry they don't fit your ears.
    watto_cobrarandominternetpersonlolliver
  • Reply 15 of 48

    roake said:
    I love these things.  I use them every day.  It would be amazing if I didn’t have to be concerned about getting them wet.
    I'm not concerned even today. Torture tests have submerged them for extended periods of time. Rain and sweat aren't a problem.
    watto_cobralolliver
  • Reply 16 of 48

    This is good news and explains why I was getting so frustrated using my Airpods while driving the other day.  I just bought a HomePod and love love love how responsive it is (compared to Alexa - it responds to my turn lights on/off commands in about 1.0 seconds compared to close to 2.0 secs for Alexa using Belkin wemo light switches with the new Wemo switch for HomePod control).  But, I'm driving down the road trying to switch channels on Apple Music, skip songs, etc. by saying "Hey Siri..." it doesn't work unless my phone is nearby but I have to yell and it is slow and clunky (da ding) compared to the seamless experience with the HomePod. It's funny how the HomePod has "trained" me to expect other Apple services to work the same way (AirPods with Apple Music).

    Now only if the HomePod would support other music services... 

    $9.95/mo for the son using Spotify (those kids love that Spotify)...
    $14.95/mo for Amazon Music family subscription (so all 8 of my Alexa devices throughout the house can play music)
    $9.95/mo for Apple Music so I can play music on the HomePod the way it was intended

    Sheeeeeeez!!!!

    The HP does support other music services -- as with any AirPlay wifi speaker, you can beam any audio source to it as normal. Your son can open his Spotify app and send his music on over to the HP. So what if he doesn't get voice control over it and "has" to use the app? This was entirely normal and not a supposed issue until this month.
    watto_cobraracerhomie3lolliver
  • Reply 17 of 48
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member

    This is good news and explains why I was getting so frustrated using my Airpods while driving the other day.  I just bought a HomePod and love love love how responsive it is (compared to Alexa - it responds to my turn lights on/off commands in about 1.0 seconds compared to close to 2.0 secs for Alexa using Belkin wemo light switches with the new Wemo switch for HomePod control).  But, I'm driving down the road trying to switch channels on Apple Music, skip songs, etc. by saying "Hey Siri..." it doesn't work unless my phone is nearby but I have to yell and it is slow and clunky (da ding) compared to the seamless experience with the HomePod. It's funny how the HomePod has "trained" me to expect other Apple services to work the same way (AirPods with Apple Music).

    Now only if the HomePod would support other music services... 

    $9.95/mo for the son using Spotify (those kids love that Spotify)...
    $14.95/mo for Amazon Music family subscription (so all 8 of my Alexa devices throughout the house can play music)
    $9.95/mo for Apple Music so I can play music on the HomePod the way it was intended

    Sheeeeeeez!!!!

    The HP does support other music services -- as with any AirPlay wifi speaker, you can beam any audio source to it as normal. Your son can open his Spotify app and send his music on over to the HP. So what if he doesn't get voice control over it and "has" to use the app? This was entirely normal and not a supposed issue until this month.
    That's because Apple never promoted Siri control of music over a smart-speaker before. Some folks probably didn't understand what the HomePod footnote was actually saying either before hitting the BUY button and thus expected something other than what Apple was offering. 
    muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 18 of 48
    Kudos to @gatorguy predicting this development (in the comments about the smart speaker satisfaction survey) 3 hours after this article was published!
    3 hours before or after???
  • Reply 19 of 48
    lmaclmac Posts: 206member
    I bought a set but I don't use them much. The double-tap to play/pause is useful but I'd like to control volume without digging out the phone. Hey Siri is unreliable.
  • Reply 20 of 48
    lmac said:
    I bought a set but I don't use them much. The double-tap to play/pause is useful but I'd like to control volume without digging out the phone. Hey Siri is unreliable.
    So far Hey Siri has been flawless contolling music volume on the HomePod.  Perhaps it’s an upgraded version that will also go into next gen AirPods...
    edited February 2018 racerhomie3watto_cobra
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