After much anticipation, Apple released their cordless Bluetooth earbuds, called AirPods, in late 2016. Initial reviews were mixed: some said they didn't sound better than the standard corded earbuds that come with Apple products. Others were extremely happy with the sound, ease of use, Siri accessibility, and comfort level. I agree with these positive reviewers and, apparently, so do many other people, since AirPods are selling very well and there is usually a wait to get them.

Using Bluetooth to Cut the Cord

It has always been a hassle to use earbuds with their tangle-prone cords. AirPods solve that problem by using radio waves instead of cables to connect.

What's in the Box

The box itself is approximately 4 inches square and the top lifts off. On top is a tactile version of the AirPods in side profile. AirPods feel like standard earbuds minus the connecting wire. Inside the box are two AirPods, a charging case, and a Lightning to USB cable. Printed documentation is included.

Charging Case

The charging case measures 1.74 by 0.84 by 2.11 inches, weighs 1.34 ounces, and feels like a dental floss box. On the front side of the case, near the top, is a lid that flips up. It is magnetic and closes easily. On the back of the case is a small pairing button, used to pair the Apple TV and non-Apple devices with the earbuds. On the bottom of the case is the charging port.

AirPods arrive in the charging case. Inside the case are two magnetic holes for the AirPods. There is only one way for them to fit. You use the case to charge your AirPods.

AirPods

Each AirPod has a part that goes into your ear and a small stem that hangs down.

Each AirPod is 0.65 by 0.71 by 1.59 inches and weighs 0.14 ounces. They contain Apple's proprietary W1 chip. Each AirPod contains Dual beamforming microphones, dual optical sensors, and a speech-detecting accelerometer.

AirPods fit only one way in their case. In your ear, the hole in each AirPod faces forward. Therefore, there is a designated right and left AirPod.

Lightning to USB Cable

The Lightning to USB cable arrives from Apple under the plastic insert in the shipping box. If using one of the new MacBooks with USB-3 ports, you will need an adaptor. An AC wall-charging cube is not included.

System Requirements

iOS 10 or later is required for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Mac computers require macOS Sierra or later. The Apple Watch requires watchOS 3 or later. AirPods can be used with the 4th generation Apple TV, but the pairing process is a little different that it is for newer models. AirPods also can be paired with non-Apple devices.

Battery Life

According to Apple, AirPods get up to five hours listening time or two hours talk time. The AirPod case itself contains a battery that charges the AirPods. With the case fully charged it is possible to get 24 hours listening time and 11 hours talk time. After a 15-minute charge in the case, you can get up to three hours listening time or one-hour talk time. When the AirPods' battery charge is low, you will hear a descending sound. It will repeat just before the AirPods turn off due to lack of battery power. There is no audio clue that the case charge is low; you have to check the battery level manually.

Siri

Siri can be accessed on your AirPods if they are paired with an iOS device, Mac, or Apple Watch. As of May 2017, Siri is not available with Apple TV. How to use Siri will be discussed later in this article.

Pairing

Before using your AirPods, they need to be paired with a device. You need to pair them only once. If you have devices in your iCloud account, the AirPods will have access to all. You can use one AirPod at a time.

Pairing with the iPhone

Pair the AirPods with an iPhone by placing the charging case, with AirPods inside, next to the phone. Make sure the AirPods are charged before doing so. Open the lid on the case and keep it open. A dialogue box will come up asking if you want to pair the AirPods with your phone. Make your selection.

Once paired, when you put the AirPods in your ears, you will hear a one-note tone and sound will be routed to them automatically. If listening to content such as music or an audiobook, play will stop as soon as one AirPod is removed from your ear. It will start again when the AirPod is replaced. If you are wearing two AirPods and take one out, play will stop. If you are wearing one AirPod and you take it out, play will stop.

Once your AirPods are paired with your iPhone, you can use VoiceOver to check battery power. With the case near your phone, open the lid and a dialogue will appear on the screen. It will show the charge for both the AirPods and the charging case. Flicking around the screen to read the dialogue does not always work. Slide your finger around the bottom half to access the information. When the Lightning charging cable is in the case, the dialogue will say that the case is charging. Close the dialogue by closing the lid of the charging case.

Another way to check the charge is on the Today screen. Information is under the Battery heading.

Settings

To access all Settings options, your AirPods must be either in their case with the lid open or out of the case either in your ears or near the iPhone. Settings for AirPods are found in the Bluetooth section of the phone. Go to Settings > Bluetooth. Under the My Devices heading is a list of all your Bluetooth devices. Find your AirPods in the list.

Flick right to the More Info button and select it. The first option is a Disconnect button followed by a button labeled Forget This Device. The next control is a button that is to the right of your AirPods' name. Selecting the button will open an edit box for a new name.

Next are three options for choosing what happens when you do a one-finger double-tap near the top of an AirPod. They are: Siri, Play/Pause, and Off.

The next control is a toggle for automatic ear detection. When on, content will be transferred automatically to the AirPods as soon as they are in your ears.

Use the final control for choosing whether only one AirPod has the microphone or whether both sides have it. The options are Automatically Switch AirPods, Always Left AirPod, and Always Right AirPod. Since they are beam microphones, it is not necessary to speak loudly.

Connecting your AirPods to other Apple Devices

If you want to switch between Apple devices, you will need to go into the device's Bluetooth settings. For example, I was using AirPods with my Mac and disconnected them when I was done. When I used the AirPods again, they automatically started working with my Mac. To use them with my iPhone, I went into my Mac's Bluetooth settings, disconnected them from the Mac, and connected them to the iPhone.

AirPods and the Mac

Connect AirPods to your Mac by going to Menu Extras and selecting Bluetooth. Look for the AirPods in the Devices list. From there, use the Right Arrow or VO + Right Arrow to get to Connect and select it. You can check battery level by going back into the Bluetooth menu and selecting the AirPods. This time, Right Arrow to Disconnect but do not select it. VO + Down Arrow and you will hear the battery level of your AirPods.

When listening to audio content such as iTunes, removing one AirPod or pressing the Spacebar will stop the music. Putting the AirPod back in your ear or pressing the Spacebar again will start the music. Taking both AirPods out of your ears will cause sound to come from the computer's speakers. Putting the AirPods back into your ears will route sound back to the AirPods.

AirPods and the Apple Watch

The Apple Watch also works with AirPods. Go to the Control Center on your watch and select Air Play. Your watch is already automatically selected. If not, select it from the Air Play list. Flick down and there will be a button for selecting your AirPods. Select it and your Apple Watch's sound will come through your AirPods.

Using AirPods with Apple TV

Pairing AirPods with Apple TV is different than pairing with other Apple devices. Start by selecting Settings/Bluetooth/Remotes & Devices/Bluetooth. Find your AirPods in the list. On the back of the charging case is a small button. Hold it down for a couple of seconds. Then, without letting go of the button, select your AirPods with the remote. You can then release the button. Siri does not work with AirPods paired with Apple TV, but you still have access via the remote.

Find My AirPods

The Find My iPhone app can help you find your AirPods unless they are out of range or in their case. Select your AirPods from the list of devices in Find My AirPods. When the next screen loads, tap the Actions button, which is located above the home button. On the next screen, select the Play Sound button that is above the home button but slightly to the right. The AirPods will play a sound for two minutes. When they are located, pick them up or put them in their case, and in a few seconds the sound will stop. I found that VoiceOver took a few seconds to start working after the sound stopped.

The Bottom Line

AirPods are well worth the investment; they are comfortable, convenient, and provide very good sound. Once paired with one of your devices, they can easily be connected to all the iOS and macOS devices on your same iCloud account. You can buy one AirPod if you lose one. This is actually my second pair of AirPods. My guide dog chewed one of my AirPods and I left the other one in a hotel room when I attended a conference. For me, it was definitely worth purchasing a second pair.

Product Information

Product: Apple AirPods
Cost: $159 per pair; $69 for a single replacement

Comment on this article.

More from this author:

Author
Janet Ingber
Article Topic
Product Reviews and Guides