Unboxing
The tiny size of the packaging is remarkable. Upon opening it up we are presented with the usual pack of papers to be discarded immediately. Underneath this are the AirPods in their case and further below this is the USB cable (no power supply). Immediate thoughts are how small and light the case is. The AirPods and case came charged to about 50%.
Connecting to my iPhone was as simple as promised – literally seconds and it was good to go. I’ll use them for the rest of the week before giving my initial thoughts.
Look and feel
The AirPod case is much more compact than I anticipated but feels solid and robust. The AirPods themselves look very much like EarPods but with slightly longer “stalks” housing the impressive batteries and accurate beam-forming mics.
For me, they fit in the ear perfectly. I am aware there has been some concern and discussion about how easily they fall out for some people, but it really isn’t a problem for me.
Performance
AirPods sound great, better than EarPods but obviously lack noise-cancellation. The bass is particularly noticeable in comparison to their wired cousins.
Experience and Features
Pairing is one-time and instant. The panel pops up when the lid is flicked back on the case. AirPods begin playback when they are placed in-ear. If one is removed the audio is paused, although it can be restarted and the audio will route both channels through the remaining ear.
AirPods automatically switch between your iCloud devices; Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad and Macs. Apple TV works with standard BT sync.
One area where the AirPods suffer is in the area of control. I mitigate this by using my phone or Apple Watch to control the volume and change tracks. To do this on the AirPods you always have to use Siri, it feels a bit too heavy and isn’t public-friendly.
UPDATE: New firmware being released alongside iOS 11 adds different commands to each AirPod and more commands to choose from. These helps mitigate the initial control issues I had.
Battery Life
The battery life is impressive for such small devices. In my experience I get 4-5 hours out of each AirPod and a full day out of the case. You can see the status of the batteries by opening the case near your device or by viewing the Batteries widget.
Final Thoughts and Rating
I really like AirPods, more than I thought I would. They may look a bit silly and you might feel like you might lose them but they are extremely competitively priced, sound great and offer convenience beyond compare. I have a strong feeling that the 2nd generation of these will bring a sleeker black colour and improved battery life, but for the price it’s worth dipping your toes in.