AirPods are by far Apple’s most personal product. You’d share your MacBook, iPad, or even iPhone, but you’d be hard-pressed to share your AirPods with another person. They are private; they go inside your ear canal. And that is what makes Apple’s upcoming AirPod update quietly so innovative.

Ahead of WWDC, Apple’s annual developer conference, sources at the company have leaked that your very personal AirPods may be even more personal. They’re going to know about the most private moment of your day.

Sleep is arguably the most private, vulnerable moment of our days. Many people largely do it out of the sight of others — except for the occasional subway nap or park snooze. Our bedrooms and beds are private. Many of us go to sleep with our earbuds playing music, a podcast, or some other audio as we drift off to sleep.

Audiologist Dr. Valerie Pavlovich Ruff told Health Essentials, a publication of the world-famous Cleveland Clinic, that wearing your earbuds to sleep can be beneficial to stop ringing from tinnitus or other medical problems. There’s also the fact that our minds race before bed, and wearing earbuds or AirPods can help, Pavlovich Ruff says.

“Emotional stress can cause ringing in your ears, too,” Pavlovich Ruff told the publication in 2022. “This is why many people might want to fall asleep listening to something soothing or relaxing just for stress relief.”

Of course, it's critical to wear comfortable earbuds and ensure the volume is at a safe level. That’s where Apple comes in.

This week, 9 to 5 Mac reported that a “sleep auto-pause” feature may debut as soon as Monday’s WWDC 2025 keynote. The publication reports that engineers at Apple is developing technology that will sense when the AirPods wearer falls asleep and the AirPods will automatically pause.

This auto-pause has two significant benefits. Most importantly, even if you listen at a high volume, it won’t be at that high volume for the entirety of your sleep. And two, far less critical to your health, your AirPods battery will be preserved.

We know that Apple Watch’s sleep feature kicks on automatically when you fall asleep, tracking your deep, core, and REM sleep. What we don’t know is whether those AirPods will enter auto-pause mode based on data from your Apple Watch (which is connected to your iPhone) or if they will sync with your iPhone directly and bypass the Apple Watch.

If it does sync to Apple Watch, you could very well take a nap, and the auto-pause feature won’t kick on. Anybody who wears an Apple Watch and takes the occasional Saturday afternoon nap will know that naps don’t often register as sleep within the Apple Health app.

The most private moment of your day — when you doze off for a good night’s sleep — may be recognized by your Apple Watch, iPhone, and your AirPods. Just don’t forget to keep the volume down.

The 9 to 5 Mac report also included other features that may be available on AirPods as soon as Monday.

They include new head gestures for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 to control conversation awareness, a noise-control feature that you can currently control by touching the tip of your AirPods.

Apple may also announce improvements that help multiple users share an iPad, like in a classroom setting.

Perhaps great news from streamers and anyone who makes video is the ability to control your iPhone camera by pinching the tip of your AirPods.

On the audio side, AirPods will also sound differently depending on your environment by using AI. It will also enable the wearer to choose from three voice options, reports 9 to 5 Mac, “in-frame, studio, and cinematic.”

Whatever Apple announces regarding AirPods or anything else, we’ll know on Monday, June 9, when WWDC kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern.

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When Apple opened its first retail stores in Tysons, Virginia, and Glendale, California, back in 2001, the goal was to let people touch the tech and connect with it in a way that glossy print ads never could.

While your local Apple Store may still be a bustling place on the regular, the retail world has changed a lot over the past twenty-four years.

Online shopping dominates, and most of us have giddily traded the instant gratification of immediately leaving a store with product in hand for the one-click convenience of cashing out your virtual shopping cart in your PJs, only for your shiny new iPhone or AirPods to show up on your doorstep a few days later.

But what if there was a third option? One with the benefits of both?

What if you could buy an iPhone, AirPods, or a new set of Apple AirTags in your PJs, step outside, and have them rain down from the sky into your eager arms within the hour?

You could call it the most literal version of AirDrop to date.

And, in parts of the U.S., you can now call it a reality — thanks to Amazon.

See more: Apple Memorial Day deals 2025

Your new iPhone has been cleared for landing

If you've ever ordered an Apple product online, you're probably well aware of the usual routine: confirmation email, obsessive tracking, and the anxiety loop of peering out of the window every five minutes while your parcel is "out for delivery" — lest you be plundered by porch pirates.

However, in a handful of U.S. cities, some Apple products are skipping the store, skipping the delivery truck, and skipping the porch entirely.

Instead, they're arriving by air.

Skipping the Apple Store for Amazon is already something of a surreal experience. It's a bit like finding your new-age vegan nutritionist slipping Big Macs into bags behind the counter at McDonald's.

However, that experience is set to get all the more unique following the FAA's approval for Amazon to deliver several new categories of products by drone, including iPhones, AirPods, and AirTags — joining more than 60,000 other eligible products ready to arrive by air.

According to Amazon, the entire delivery process takes just 60 minutes or less, with customers able to select the drone delivery option through the Amazon Shopping app.

At which point, one of Amazon's MK30 drones will secure your package, take flight, and head towards your preferred delivery spot, which could be your driveway or yard. Once at the location, Amazon's drone drops to a height of 13 feet, scanning for any obstacles (including cars or pets), before safely dropping your (cushioned) parcel for collection.

What's next

At present, Amazon's drone delivery service is only available for a select catalog of items and in the following areas:

• College Station, Texas
• West Valley area of Phoenix, Arizona

However, Amazon is testing the program in other areas and looks to scale its drone delivery service to more states and cities across the U.S. over the coming months and years.

Given the MK30 drone's 5 lbs weight limit, we may not be too far off from a day when your next MacBook Air doesn't only earn its moniker from its lightweight build, but also its method of delivery.

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Apple might be focusing its efforts on the iPhone thanks to the current tariff situation, but it does have other popular devices that it's working to improve upon with newer versions.

One of its most popular lines of devices is the AirPods. Last year, Apple sold more than $18 billion in AirPods, and it appears a new version could be coming next year.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted on Sunday about the next iteration of the AirPods. He predicts a new version won't be coming until sometime next year.

"AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026 (aligning with my earlier prediction that IR camera-equipped AirPods would enter mass production in 2026)," Kuo wrote.

The addition of cameras to the earbuds would be used for gathering data for AI. Visual info picked up by the cameras would give an AI more details about the environment, which could be used for some features although no details have surfaced about what those features could be.

Earlier in the week, a string of code was discovered in an Apple update that is being viewed as a leak of the release of the AirPods Pro 3, as reported by 9to5Mac. The snippet of code referencing a task changed from saying "This task requires Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation" to "This task requires Apple AirPods Pro 2 or later." This change doesn't mean a new version of the earbuds is right around the corner, but it does hint that they're being worked on.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about new versions of the AirPods.

The AirPods already have some interesting changes coming thanks to AI. Apple plans on using the earbuds to incorporate new health features such as checking a user's temperature, heart-rate monitoring, and other biometric data. The company also wants to bring live translation to the AirPods later this year. And just last year, Apple added a hearing aid feature to the earbuds as well.

What's next for AirPods Max?

The AirPods weren't the only device Kuo mentioned in his tweet. He also said a new version of the AirPods Max would also be coming.

"A lighter version of the AirPods Max is expected to enter mass production in 2027," he wrote.

The current iteration of the AirPods Max came out in 2020 with only a few changes made since then such as going from Lightning to USB-C, slight changes to the build, and more colors.

Back in 2023, Kuo predicted that the AirPods Max 2 would come out in 2025. That ended up not being the case, although it's unclear what might have caused this two-year delay by Apple.

Apple AirPods are not just for listening to music, at least, for Apple. The company has big plans for the earbuds and improving the audio or battery life aren't the only ideas.

Apple reportedly plans on adding cameras to its Airpods to let AI get a sense of the environment around the user. The company also wants AirPods to help track certain biometrics like heart rate and body temperature, but a new patent suggests Apple may want the earbuds to do even more.

The AirPods maker wants the earbuds to use sensors to help detect different metrics from the body and use machine learning to determine if someone has a health problem, according to a report from Patently Apple.

The tech would work by using the sensors in the AirPods to determine certain fitness metrics as a baseline such as how steady a person walks and their breathing patterns. Once it develops a baseline for the user, over time the sensors would pick up more data from the user such as abnormal walking patterns, grinding teeth, or joints cracking.

This data combined with timestamps and location data would then be analyzed by AI to pick up any possible patterns that could be related to some sort of health ailment. The goal would be for the AirPods to help determine a health problem before it becomes serious.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about this new patent.

Will AirPods be the next fitness wearable?

As interesting as this tech might sound, it will likely be years before it can be implemented, if it ever is. Apple files a lot of patents for tech that doesn't reach the public.

If Apple does move forward with this tech, it will still take time before the public will be able to buy one of these health-focused AirPods. The primary reason is that tech involving a user's health typically has to receive approval from a federal regulator like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Last year, the AirPods Pro 2's hearing aid feature had to clear the FDA hurdle before it was made available to users. The FDA conducted a clinical study of 118 people to determine if the AirPods feature provided similar improvements to hearing aids without adverse effects.

For Apple, testing is still underway for AirPods monitoring a wearer's heart rate and body temperature. If Apple gets these monitors working soon, we could see them being featured at the Worldwide Developer Conference in June.

Apple still appears to be tinkering with the AirPods. It makes sense as the earbuds still bring in billions for Apple each year, and the competition in the earbud market is ramping up.

That competition also means some companies have certain features that Apple hasn't implemented yet. In this case, there's a feature that the Samsung Galaxy Earbuds and the Google Pixel Buds have that Apple will reportedly add to the AirPods fairly soon.

Live Translation is a new feature coming to the AirPods later this year, according to a report from Bloomberg. The tentative plan for Apple is to release the Live Translation feature in a future AirPods update, likely with the release of iOS 19.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on the feature.

The iPhone maker reportedly has another AirPods feature in the works, but it likely won’t appear in the earbuds anytime soon. This feature involves adding cameras to the AirPods in order to pick up details from the surrounding environment. This feature would depend heavily on AI, which Apple is having a little trouble with right now as the company recently delayed its major overhaul of Siri. It's also unclear if these cameras will be available only on the larger AirPods Max or if Apple will find a way to incorporate them into the AirPods earbuds.

How woud Live Translation work?

The report doesn't offer details on how Live Translation for the AirPods would work, but the feature might function similarly to how it works on the Galaxy Buds and Pixel Buds.

In both cases, the phone's translation app is doing the actual translating. Once activated, the app will translate the language being spoken and send that translation directly to the earbuds. It will also pick up what the person wearing the earbuds is saying and translate it to the language the other person is speaking. This makes translation smoother, as the person wearing the buds can simply let the other person hold the phone with the app running instead of passing it back and forth.

Apple might be able to streamline the process even further, but that won't be made clear until the feature's release. This feature might be shown off in June at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference.

AirPods are not just a simple audio accessory from Apple. The company sold more than $18 billion of AirPods in 2023, and already laid out plans to incorporate new health features into the earbuds such as checking a user's temperature, heart-rate monitoring, and other biometric data.

These possible upcoming features for the AirPods would complement the hearing aid feature that Apple added to the earbuds last year. There is, however, another feature for the AirPods that Apple is working on, and it could be another game changer.

Apple is working on adding cameras to its AirPods, according to a report from Bloomberg. The cameras would reportedly power AI features by gathering data from the environment. The report doesn't specify whether this feature would show up on the AirPods or AirPods Pro, or would cameras be added to the larger AirPods Max, which could easily accommodate a camera.

Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for confirmation about the report.

Apple really wants AI to work.

Like other potential new features for AirPods and Apple devices, these advancements rely on AI. Apple's venture into AI, however, has faced challenges.

Last September, Apple unveiled its Apple Intelligence feature with the release of the iPhone 16. Apple had big plans for Apple Intelligence at the time but faced a major setback.

On Thursday, an Apple spokesperson told Daring Fireball that the planned update to Siri, making it a true AI assistant, has been delayed. The company says it plans to release this Siri overhaul later this year. It's unclear if Apple will unveil this new Siri at its Worldwide Developer Conference this June.

The delay of the new Siri also impacted the development of a new Apple device. A smart home hub, designed to function as an iPad-like home control device, has been pushed back from an expected March reveal, according to Bloomberg. Its delay stems from its dependence on the overhauled Siri.

For anyone who utilizes Google Assistant daily, for random questions, weather updates, and other assistance, adding a pair of Google-brand earbuds to your daily gadget toolbox is a smart idea. Fortunately, the well-reviewed, first-gen Google Pixel Buds Pro are majorly on sale right now.

In this New Year deal, the Google Pixel Buds Pro are slashed to just $109 via Woot. Regularly priced at $199, that's nearly 50% in savings! This is the lowest price we've ever seen for the Pixel Buds Pro in these three colorways: Bay, Coral, and Porcelain.

In our Pixel Buds Pro review, we loved ther lightweight design, great audio performance, and powerful ANC. We gave the Pixel Buds Pro an overall 4 out of 5-star rating and our Editor's Choice Award.

If you have an Android smartphone and you're looking for seamless Google Assistant integration (at a more affordable price than the Pro 2 buds offer), the Pixel Buds Pro are definitely the way to go.

And if you need an updated laptop to ring in the new year, we've seen some stellar deals recently. End-of-year sales are always great, but inevitably, not all stock sells out. When the new year rolls around, we often see even better deals than we did around Black Friday and the holiday season. Browse through the best laptop deals we've gathered to find a new machine to pair with your Pixel Buds Pro.

Today's best Google Pixel Buds Pro deal

Simple fitness trackers evolved into smartwatches that track daily stats and heart rate, and eventually, smart rings were born to do the same. Why not add earbuds to the list of devices that can track basic health stats? Apple seems to think it's doable.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in the most recent Power On newsletter, Apple is working on bringing health features to next-gen AirPods, including heart-rate monitoring, temperature sensing, and tech that can track "a slew of physiological measures."

Considering the AirPods Pro 2 impressed the world earlier this year with a first-of-its-kind hearing aid feature that has since gained FDA approval, Apple's move in this direction isn't surprising. Given the narrative surrounding the current-gen Apple Watch, it's expected.

The AirPods Pro could be Apple's next big health-focused smart device

Gurman points out in his Sunday newsletter that the Apple Watch has "gradually gained health capabilities during the past decade."

The first Apple Watch could send notifications for irregular rhythm, a high or a low heart rate, and provide basic cycle tracking — and that's it. Compare this to the current-gen Apple Watch Series 10, which offers everything the Series 1 does, plus:

• An ECG app
• Low cardio fitness notifications
• Sleep tracking
• Sleep apnea notifications
• A Vitals app featuring heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, and sleep duration
• Temperature sensing
• Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates
• Emergency SOS
• International emergency calling
• Fall detection
• Crash detection

To say the Apple Watch has come a long way in the past eight years is an understatement. I remember when the Apple Watch Series 10 was announced, Apple marketed it as a groundbreaking health and safety device, promoting how it detected active heart attacks, saved people after a crash or a fall, or helped get an early diagnosis for heart-related issues.

Gurman reports that "AirPods will see the same thing happen over the coming years" and eventually become just as full-featured and health-focused as the Apple Watch. Apple's main focus at the moment is accurately measuring a user's heart rate.

According to Gurman, "In Apple's testing, heart-rate data is more accurate on the watch than AirPods, but the earbuds aren't terribly far off."

Once Apple has heart monitoring covered with relatively high accuracy, the company will start working on temperature sensing and other health-related features.

And here's the best part: We might not have to wait that long for these health-focused AirPods. Gurman says, "The capability [of measuring a user's heart rate] could be ready for the next-generation AirPods Pro, which is in early development."

The first-generation AirPods Pro launched in 2019, followed by the second-generation (and current-generation) AirPods Pro 2 in 2022. If Apple follows the same three-year release schedule, the AirPods Pro 3 will be released in 2025.

With less than a week to receive your gifts in time for the big day, it's not too late to score a holiday deal on Apple AirPods. Amazon has three deals on Apple AirPods — both the in-ear and over-ear varieties — and all three are available for fast delivery before Christmas with Amazon Prime.

If you're not already a Prime member and you're still crunching on your holiday shopping, it's worth considering getting Prime for a 30-day trial. This way you can get these AirPods and any other last-minute gifts delivered quickly, and in time for Christmas.

While none of these deals are as good as the ones we saw earlier in the holiday shopping season, they'll still save you real money on Apple's popular AirPod family. For example, you can score the AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds for $189, the AirPods Max USB-C for $529, and the AirPods 4 for $119.

Don't wait too long to shop these deals. For products that show two-day delivery, you need to order by December 22 to get your gear by December 24.

Today's best AirPods headphone and earbud deals

Christmas Day is over a week away so you still have time to shop for the holiday gifts. For inspiration, I found a sweet deal on one of our favorite wireless earbuds you might like.

Right now, you can get the Beats Studio Buds for just $79 at Amazon. Shipped free to arrive before Christmas Day. If you have Amazon Prime, you can get it tomorrow with free one-day delivery.

Browse: Amazon holiday deals

These noise-cancelling wireless earbuds typically cost $150, so that's $70 off. As far as end-of-year headphone deals go, this is one of the best under $100.

Launched in June 2021 and succeeded by the $170 Beats Studio Buds Plus, Beats Studio Buds are still among the best wireless earbuds around. Although I normally don't recommend products more than 2 years-old, the Beats Studio Buds were ahead of their time.

In our Beats Studio Buds review, we rated them 4 out of 5-stars for their well-balanced sound, active noise cancelling functionality, and striking design.

Simply put, if you want to treat someone special to the gift of music, you can't go wrong with the Beats Studio Buds.

This is the lowest price we've tracked for the Beats Studio Buds this year. In fact, it's one of the best headphone deals of the season.

Today's best Beats Studio Buds deal

It's the first day of Christmas... at least according to the song, and that means you've not got long to pick up some last-minute presents for the holidays. Luckily for you, we've found some great tech deals for under $50 at Amazon.

Our top pick is the 44% discount on the 32GB Amazon Fire 7 tablet, which is down to just $44. It's absolutely wild that you can get any kind of tablet for under $50, let alone one as good as this. In our Amazon Fire 7 review, we praised the pint-sized tablet for its great battery life, bright display, and robust build. If you don't see the deal price right away, click on "See all buying options," and you can add the discounted tablet to your cart.

Beyond that, we've found a couple of great deals on some budget headphones, with options to cover fans of both in-ear buds and over-ear cans. For the former, we've got the TOZO T20 Wireless Earbuds for $25 (a massive 49% discount), while the latter can take a gander at the colorful JBL Tune 520BT On-Ear headphones for just $34.

Rounding things off, there's $22 off the Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Power Bank, bringing it down to $47. It's got a 10,000 mAh battery and can charge your devices wirelessly or via USB to keep them juiced up all day long. And speaking of colorful gadgets, there is also this awesome-looking VOYEE Switch controller for $25. It's got a cool, galaxy-esque design on the front, complete with a ton of RGB lights that you can configure.

Bose's earbuds don't come cheap, but it's Cyber Monday, and even the most expensive gadgets in their class can be had for less.

Bose's Ultra Open wireless earbuds are included in that list and they're also some of the best-sounding open-style earbuds I've used yet. Like other earbuds in this class, Bose's Ultra Open earbuds (if you can call them buds) are meant to help you hear your surroundings while still getting personal audio.

I've tested the Ultra Open earbuds extensively and find them to be a great ratio of personal audio to ambient noise — I've even worn them with enough satisfaction in the New York City subway, which isn't known for its lack of noise.

I've used quite a few open-style earbuds at this point — Nothing's Ear Open and Sony's new LinkBuds open — and Bose's really hit the sweet spot.

For the full list of all the wireless earbuds I love that are on sale right now check this list out.

Nothing is no stranger to flashy design, but something about its recently released Nothing Ear A earbuds speaks to me.

In case you missed it, Nothing finally plunged into a more colorful design language with its Ear A wireless earbuds this year — the successor to the Ear 1, which price-wise occupies the same territory at $99.

That's already a pretty good deal for a pair of wireless earbuds that look great, have solid ANC, and a fairly robust sound profile. Naturally, though, since it's the season of deals after all, Nothing sweetens its deal even further by knocking off almost 30% from its usual retail price.

If you're tired of the same old white AirPods, this is the wireless earbud deal you should spring on.

And if you want a bigger list of my favorite earbuds on sale right now go here, or check out our running list of all the best Black Friday deals.

It's the day after Black Friday and Google's Pixel Buds A-Series wireless earbuds remain cheaper than ever.

You still have a chance to snap up the Pixel Buds A-Series for just $49 at Amazon. That's $50 off their regular retail price of $99, and one of the best Black Friday headphone deals still available to day.

Best Buy and Walmart are still offering same deal as we roll into Cyber Monday, December 2.

Although I usually don't recommend products more than two years old, Google's Pixel Buds A-Series is an exception. Released in 2021, Google's 3rd generation earbuds feature 12mm drivers for high-quality audio and adaptive sound which intuitively adjusts volume depending on your surroundings.

Despite their lack of noise cancellation, the Pixel Buds A-Series's ergonomic fit offers a tight seal to block some outside noise.

If you're looking for cheap but good wireless earbuds for your Pixel or Android device, at just $49, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series are a no-brainer.

I've tried a lot of earbuds from Nothing and none look quite like the recently released Ear Open.

Nothing's Open Ear, which comes with a wraparound design that slides behind your ear, is the company's entrant into a growing niche of "open" earbuds that blend environmental noise with personal audio.

I tried these earbuds for myself and while they definitely allow a lot of environmental noise bleed, I love the look and how comfortable they are during long listening sessions.

A hidden perk I discovered with my extended use is they're great for listening to audio while you're lying down since the "buds" (if you can call them that) sit flat against your ear.

Nothing's Ear Open are a little cyberpunk and even a little bug-like and naturally, they retain Nothing's signature see-through design. If you like wearing headphones that stand out — and if you're buying Nothing buds you probably do — then these should scratch that aesthetic itch.

It also helps that they're $30 off via Amazon ight now.

If you want a bigger list of my favorite earbuds on sale right now go here, or check out our running list of all the best Black Friday deals.

The Apple AirPods exude a dreamy premium-ness that's hard to pass up. Fortunately for you, they're very much on sale right now in one of the best Black Friday headphone deals we've seen so far.

You can pick up a pair of Apple AirPods Max for just $399 at Amazon in any color your heart desires — well, in any of the four colorways available: Sky Blue, Green, Silver, or Space Gray. While this isn't the lowest price we've seen for these cans, it's only $5, shy of the all-time low of $394. I'd consider that a win!

These Apple headphones made the list of our top picks for best noise-canceling headphones, which makes sense as "powerful ANC" was one of the pros we noted in our AirPods Max review. Other pros include fantastic audio quality, a gorgeous (and, more importantly, comfortable) design, and seamless integration with Apple devices.

In fact, the only official con we had for the AirPods Max was that they're expensive. With this Black Friday deal knocking $150 off the price, that con flies out the window.

For reference, this is the older Lightning-cable version of the AirPods Max, but if you haven't upgraded to a USB-C iPhone 15 or higher and don't plan to anytime soon, this probably won't matter much to you.

If you'd rather pick up the new USB-C headphones, you can grab the AirPods Max USB-C for $499 ($50 off) via Amazon as well. That may not seem like much of a discount, but it's a mere $1 shy of the lowest price ever.

Or, if you're not fully convinced the AirPods Max are the right headphones for you, take a look at the other best Black Friday headphone deals we've rounded up for alternatives.

Today's best AirPods Max deal

I've tested a lot of wireless earbuds in my day, and not all of them are created equally.

If that sounds like I'm being an earbuds snob, well... I am. The good news is that snobbery isn't all for naught — having put in the hours to listen and learn, I'm here to help curate a list of audio products that will best suit your wireless earbuds needs or the needs of someone you're shopping for.

If you're in the market for some top-notch wireless audio, I've tried most of the products on this list, and unless denoted otherwise, you really can't go wrong.

Just bought a new iPhone and got no money left for fancy headphones? Have no fear, because Best Buy is here with a fantastic deal on some top-tier AirPods. You can get the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for just $169 at Best Buy, saving you $80 versus the usual MSRP of $249.

We absolutely love these earbuds, as you can probably tell from our AirPods Pro 2 review, where we gave them a perfect 5 out of 5 score and called them Apple's "best wireless earbuds ever." They're comfortable to wear, sound great, offer excellent active noise cancellation (ANC), and feature Apple's Spatial Audio to give you a full surround sound-like experience.

If you're using an iPhone or MacBook, then a pair of AirPods is a no-brainer partnership thanks to their full integration into the Apple ecosystem, with features like "Find My" and fast pairing. Android users miss out on these features, but even so, they're still a banging pair of earbuds for the price.

Be quick though! This deal is only live for the next 15 hours at the time of writing.

This is close to the cheapest that we've seen these earbuds, and it's $10 cheaper than the AirPods Pro 2 deal we spotted on Amazon last week, so if you missed out there, you've been rewarded with an even better offer.

If you want to shop around a bit, be sure to check out our Black Friday AirPods deals page for more deals on other AirPods models.

Today's best Apple AirPod Pro 2 deal

I've been tracking Black Friday AirPods deals since October when early Black Friday deals began to surface. As a deals expert and bargain hunter who tracks AirPods deals all year, here's my advice.

Black Friday is the best time of year for AirPods deals.

Case in point, Amazon has the AirPods Pro 2 on sale for just $153 ($96 off). This is the lowest price we've tracked for these earbuds and one of the best Black Friday AirPods deals you don't have to wait to get.

This year, expect the lowest price ever on the latest AirPods 4, previous-gen AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

Apple's chic and stylish AirPods Max (Lightning) over-ear headphones are back at their all-time low price of $399 at Best Buy ($150 off). The newly released AirPods Max with USB-C are $499 ($50 off) at Best Buy, which is a new low for them as well.

Black Friday deals are officially here, so don't wait. The deals aren't going to get any better than this, and most retailers have price protection in place for you if they do. Here are the best Black Friday AirPods deals I found today.

Black Friday AirPods deals — Quick links

• Black Friday AirPods deals at Amazon
• Black Friday AirPods deals at Best Buy
• Black Friday AirPods deals at Walmart
• Black Friday deals at B&H

Black Friday AirPods deals

This is one of the more epic earbud deals we've seen in a while. The Sennheiser CX Plus in-ear Bluetooth earbuds are now $59 at Woot. But act fast, because this deal is for today. 

Available in black, you can get this earbuds now at a $120 discount over their regular price. It's even $24 less than what Adorama is selling these for via Amazon.  

Granted, these earbuds first came out three years ago, but that doesn't take away from their excellent sound quality and active noise cancellation. They even have a transparency mode, something that was more rare back then. The earbuds include a charging case that adds an additional 16 hours of play time to their standard 8 hours. 

If you need an extra set of ANC earbuds, or you want to replace your current ones while sticking to a budget, grab the Sennheiser CX Plus at Woot now while they last.

Today's best Sennheiser CX Plus deal

Noise cancellation isn't everything.

That's the message from makers (and consumers) of a new wave of audio products that blend in-ear audio with ambient noise from your environment. Don't believe me? Well, I'll let Bose, Sony, or even Anker do the talking — all three offer personal audio products meant to blend your audio with your environment.

And naturally, as an increasingly prolific purveyor of personal audio products, the UK-based tech company, Nothing, is now offering its own solution: Ear Open.

So how does Nothing's entry into the space stack up against its competition? Well, that's a bit of an open question.

Earbud or wearable?

Listen, ears aren't straightforward. There are a lot more ear shapes than you might initially think, making the design process for earbuds an exercise in anatomical research and a feat of good old-fashioned audio engineering.

And when you start messing with earbud design in a big way — I'm talking about changing the form factor, or shape, noticeably — things get even trickier. For Bose and its Ultra Open earbuds, the solution to that design challenge is a clip-like form factor that tucks a speaker behind your ear. For Sony, it's a normal-looking earbud that employs a donut-shaped hole, allowing for more ambient noise bleed.

And for Nothing? Well, it's a... slug? Maybe?

I don't mean that derogatorily, either. Like previous Nothing audio products, like the Ear A, which comes in a brilliant yellow color, or the Ear Stick (RIP), which came in a charging case modeled after a lipstick applicator, the Ear Open stands out purposefully.

Similar to Bose's Ultra Open earbuds, the Ear Open presents almost as a piece of jewelry. Its wraparound design curls around the back of your ear and nestles its speaker inside your outer ear. At the non-speaker end of the Ear Open's curl is a silver, thimble-like battery, which is clever from an engineering perspective but also pleasing to the eye.

The case, like the Ear A (looks like a lunchbox) and Ear Stick (looks like lipstick), also diverts from the typical design. This time around, Nothing went with an atypically long, almost finger-like case. Design-wise it has all the hallmarks of Nothing's design team — smooth, interesting, sleek — but it's admittedly a little large for my liking.

Seriously, just check this thing out next to other Nothing buds cases.

Outside of the case, though, I love the look of the buds themselves — they're a little cyberpunk and even a little bug-like. Naturally, Ear Open retains Nothing's signature see-through design as well, though maybe in a less noticeable fashion than its previous earbuds. If you like wearing headphones that stand out — and if you're buying Nothing buds you probably do — then these should scratch that aesthetic itch.

More practically, the buds are also very comfortable. I wore them for a 9-hour workday and never once felt like I wanted to rip them off of my ears as I would with ear tip-based buds, which form a pressure seal and can get uncomfortable after several hours of use.

From an external design perspective, I have no complaints. But when it comes to audio...

How open is too open?

I don't envy any audio company attempting to satisfyingly blend external and in-ear audio. In 2024, we expect a lot from personal wireless audio, and messing with a form factor that could drastically change the listening experience takes guts. Walking the tightrope between some outside noise and too much outside noise sounds harrowing and the pitfalls are many.

I've used Bose's Ultra Open buds extensively over the past few months, so I'm no stranger to the tradeoffs of open-ear wireless audio but, for me, Nothing's Ear Open pushes the envelope a bit too far in the open direction.

It's easy, as a New Yorker, to put open-ear audio devices to a very rigorous test. The subway, for example, isn't exactly what I'd call quiet and has a habit of interfering with even the most noise-cancelled audio experience.

In the case of Nothing's Ear Open, a train arrival in the subway makes your audio basically inaudible. Again, that's partially by design, but if I compare it to the aforementioned Ultra Open earbuds, I think Bose's offering provides a better balance between environmental and non-environmental noise. That's to say: I can hear my music or podcasts better on Bose's buds during high-volume situations.

And as far as overall audio quality goes, I think the Ear Open do a decent job of delivering a pleasant experience. During my several hours of listening, however, I did notice some variability. Depending on what I was listening to, some music sounded almost tinny at times, perhaps from a lack of low end.

The vast majority of the time, however, I found Ear Open to be serviceable considering the constraints of open-design earbuds even if they don't hit all the same crisp highs and lows of ANC buds from Nothing's other products, like Ear or Ear A — both of which I'm big fans of.

While the emphasis on very open design made for some less-than-ideal noise-bleed, it also definitely achieved the intended purpose of open earbuds: I felt a lot more present in my environments.

I wore them all day at work and even committed the unforgivable sin of ordering a sandwich wearing the Ear Open while they were playing music. Thankfully for everyone, I didn't miss a single beat.

Similarly, I wore them while riding a bike through Brooklyn, and they were more than open enough to make me feel safer — I could easily hear other cars, bikes, and people around me.

And the battery life? Well, Nothing says the Ear Open lasts for a formidable 8 hours (the lack of ANC helps a lot here). I used them for basically an entire workday and can confirm that they definitely have longevity. Another perk of open earbuds across the board.

Are Nothing's Open Ear worth it?

You cannot buy any pair of open earbuds without coming to terms with some compromises. Given the inherent lack of seal on your ear, you literally cannot get ANC, which for some uses is a dealbreaker but, for others, is kind of the point.

On top of that, I would never recommend that anyone own open earbuds as their sole pair. There's a time and a place when buds like the Ear Open are practical. If you're a biker, runner, or just generally want something with better all-day comfort, open earbuds have a lot to offer. And if openness is the standard by which we're judging these kinds of earbuds, then Ear Open excels.

However, I do find the compromises in audio quality and volume to be more stark with Nothing's Ear Open than higher-end competitors like Bose. That being said, the Ear Open are significantly cheaper. While Bose's Ultra Open earbuds retail for $300, Nothing's Ear Open start at $150.

To an extent, you get what you pay for here, but if you're looking for a stylish, interesting pair of earbuds to bike more safely with, then the Ear Open might just be the pick for you.

If nothing else, the Ear Open are yet another interesting addition to Nothing's eclectic lineup of wireless audio products.

The new Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 will ship in a week, on Sept. 26, 2024. However, if you pre-order these earbuds now from Amazon, you can still save $30 up front thanks to an 11% discount — and you can receive a $30 Amazon gift card. That brings your total savings to $60, which is not bad for a product that hasn't even come out yet.

This deal is one of many deals running in advance of Amazon's Prime Big Day Deals in October. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 sell for $259, but with this deal you pay $229 and then get a $30 gift card. Just complete the pre-order and you'll receive the $30 gift card by e-mail after receiving the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

These earbuds are Google's first to feature its Tensor A1 chip. Plus, they're the first earbuds specifically engineered to work with Gemini, Google's new AI assistant.

Act fast to get this deal before the pre-order ends. 

Today's best Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 deal

With the highly anticipated arrival of Apple's AirPods 4, you might find yourself wondering which high-end pair of earbuds you should upgrade to, or whether it's worth ditching your AirPods Pro 2 for Apple's newest buds.

For the longest time, the AirPods Pro were the only in-ear headphones from Apple that offered Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) tech to block out background noise. Now, the AirPods 4 lineup includes a more expensive model labeled "AirPods 4 with ANC," giving users more options overall.

Even though we haven't had time to properly test the AirPods 4 just yet, we can objectively compare both AirPod 4 models with the AirPods Pro 2 using a lot of info Apple has published so far. From each AirPods' specs, price, battery life, design, and other features, we'll help you decide whether you should buy the AirPods Pro 2 or a new pair of AirPods 4.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Price

The recently announced AirPods 4 match base pricing of AirPods 3, its predecessor. Available starting September 20, the base AirPods 4 will cost you $129. If you want AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), those retail for $179.

Alternatively, the AirPods Pro 2 sell for $249 at full price. Launched two years ago, the AirPods Pro 2 have been discounted to around $169 in the best deals, but that's the lowest we've seen their price drop.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Specs

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Design

All AirPods look relatively similiar, but there are some minor differences between the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, as well as their respective charging cases.

Apple's AirPods 4 are slightly smaller and lighter than the AirPods Pro 2. One AirPod 4 bud measures 1.19 x 0.72 x 0.71 inches and weighs 0.15 ounces, while one AirPod Pro 2 bud measures 1.22 x 0.86 x 0.94 inches and weighs 0.19 ounces.

The comfort of each set of AirPods is subjective, as it all depends on how well the earbuds fit in an individual's ear specifically, and everyone's ears are shaped differently. However, Apple claims that the AirPods 4 are the most comfortable AirPods ever, even over the existing AirPods Pro 2.

For what it's worth, in our AirPods Pro 2 review, we found the upgraded ear tips created a tighter seal like Apple promised and thought the buds were pleasant to wear, even during two 3-hour wear sessions a day.

The AirPods 4 charging case measures 1.82 x 1.97 x 0.83 inches and weighs 1.14 and 1.22 ounces for the base model and ANC model, respectively. The AirPods Pro 2 charging case is wider and heavier, measuring 1.78 x 2.39 x 0.85 inches and weighing 1.79 ounces.

One design feature that won't be a deciding factor for you is dust, sweat, and water resistance. Both the AirPods Pro 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 (and their respective charging cases) feature an IP54 rating.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Audio

We haven't had the chance yet to test Apple's new AirPods 4, with or without ANC, but we have reviewed the AirPods Pro 2.

We loved the "distinctly enriched soundstage" of the AirPods Pro 2, with noticeable advancements in frequency range compared to its predecessor. Bass notes were well-balanced and impactful, vocals came through "impassioned and lively," and customizing sound was an easy experience.

The AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 4 share an H2 processor, which is designed to deliver "richer bass and crystal-clear highs." This H2 chip allows for Apple's Personalized Spatial Audio feature, one of our favorite things about the AirPods Pro 2 (and hopefully also a favorite feature of the AirPods 4).

If you opt for the base AirPods 4 model, you won't have access to Active Noise Cancellation technology to block out unwanted background noise. The AirPods 4 with ANC and the AirPods Pro 2, however, are both equipped with ANC.

Until we can test the AirPods 4, we can't definitively say if one provides a better listening experience than the other. That said, with each set of AirPods coming equipped with the same chip and many of the same features, we expect the listening experience would be fairly similar.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Additional features

One of the biggest feature differences between the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 is hearing aid functionality. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are gaining a first-of-its-kind hearing aid tool via a software update this fall, and neither pair of AirPods 4 will have this feature.

With a pair of AirPods Pro 2, users can take a hearing test Apple says is "clinically validated," and use the buds to boost nearby sounds and act as an over-the-counter hearing aid. 

Both AirPods 4 and AirPods 2 Pro will gain upcoming software features, including Voice Isolation, improved voice quality, and Siri Interactions, which allow you to shake your head "no" or nod "yes" in response to questions from Siri.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Battery life

The AirPods Pro 2 come with a slightly heavier, bigger charging case — and that translates to slightly longer battery life. That said, the rated battery life of AirPods 4 is nothing to sneeze at.

According to Apple's battery estimates for the upcoming AirPods 4, expect up to 5 hours of listening time or 4.5 hours of talk time on a full charge. With the charging case, the total battery life extends to up to 30 hours of listening time or 20 hours of talk time.

The AirPods 4 with ANC understandably have shorter battery life when ANC is enabled, roughly 20 - 30% less than the base AirPods 4 model. With ANC turned on, expect up to 4 hours of listening time or up to 20 hours with the charging case. When ANC is disabled, the battery life is identical to the $129 AirPods 4.

Meanwhile, the 2nd Gen AirPods Pro provide up to 6 hours of listening time or 4.5 hours of talk time on a single charge. With its charging case, Apple says it can deliver up to 30 hours of listening time (interestingly, the same rated amount for the AirPods 4) and up to 24 hours of talk time.

The AirPods Pro 2 clearly have a stronger rated battery life, but is that worth paying more for them?

Outlook

We absolutely loved the AirPods Pro 2 (we even awarded them a perfect score!), but they are the pricier option compared to even the higher-end AirPods 4 with ANC. They offer delicious sound quality, decent battery life, and a comfortable fit for most ears.

On the other hand, Apple's recently debuted AirPods 4 lineup looks pretty great, too. They're equipped with the same H2 chip inside the AirPods Pro 2, but offer budget-friendly ANC from Apple for the first time ever.

Until we get to try out the AirPods 4, there's no way to fairly declare a winner in this face-off. Once we pick up a pair and test them out, we'll be sure to update this face-off with more hands-on impressions and comparisons.

Announced last Monday during Apple's September launch event, the AirPods 4 are up for preorder retailers. Pricing starts from $129 for the standard AirPods 4 and $179 for the AirPods 4 with active noise-cancelling (ANC). Apple's next-gen wireless earbuds are redesigned to offer a better fit and feature Apple's H2 chip to deliver enhanced audio over the AirPods 3.

If the AirPods 4 are on your radar, yet the price has you on pause, here's a way to save. Preorder the AirPods 4 at Best Buy and save up to $60 when you trade in your old headphones. This drops the AirPods 4 to just $69 at checkout or the AirPoids 4 with ANC to just $119. This is one of the best AirPods deals you can get by way of trade-in.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 in good condition gets you the maximum trade-in value. Best Buy will take $50 off at checkout when you trade in the Galaxy Buds 2 which is also a solid savings. Or trade in your previous-gen AirPods 3 or 1st-generation AirPods Pro to take $45 off the new AirPods 4.

We might not see an outright discount on Apple's 4th generation AirPods for a while, so this is a great way to save some cash.

AirPods 4 preorders ship to arrive by Sept. 20 to coincide with the iPhone 16's release date.

Preorder the Apple AirPods 4 and save 

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Following a lively debate between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the internet and social media exploded with claims that Vice President Harris had broken the rules by donning an earpiece disguised as a pair of earrings.

The claims evoke similar reports from the 2020 presidential election that saw President Joe Biden accused of wearing an earpiece during the first of three debates between himself and former President Donald Trump after pictures and video of Biden taken during the debate appeared to show suspicious lines on his shirt that many assumed to be a wire.

High-resolution imagery made available following the event revealed this wasn't the case and the line in question was nothing more than a shirt crease. The accusations were investigated by the Reuters Fact Check team among others, and found to be false.

However, is there any truth to claims surrounding Harris and her choice of jewelry this time around? While Laptop Mag has reached out for comment on the matter, we don't believe so. Here's why.

Laptop Mag is a non-partisan publication seeking to apply insight and avoid any potential spread of disinformation following a surge in readers to an article about Nova H1 Audio Earrings originally published in January 2023.

Nova H1 Audio Earrings: What are they?

Laptop Mag first came across Nova's H1 Audio Earring at CES 2023. While they may look like any other pair of unassuming pearl earrings, the H1 Audio Earring is actually closer to a hands-free Bluetooth earpiece, offering a unique open-ear audio experience not too dissimilar to other modern wearables like the  XREAL Air 2 or Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

We cheekily referred to the earrings as a cheater's dream, for their innocuous appearance and potential to be misused by crafty students. However, beyond finding them a fascinating and fun piece of tech-infused fashion, we had little reason to keep the wearables on our radar.

Little did we know that this particular Bluetooth wearable would gain a second wind at last night's presidential debate as some viewers suggested that the presidential candidate had adopted the H1 Audio Earrings for some external support during the verbal back-and-forth.

Are these the same earrings worn by Kamala Harris?

While Laptop Mag doesn't typically inject itself into the world of political fact-checking, a recent surge in readers to our original article on the Nova H1 Audio Earrings has posed an interesting question: Did Vice President Kamala Harris wear a pair of the Nova H1 Audio Earrings during last night's presidential debate?

Claims that presidential candidate Harris donned a pair of Nova's H1 Audio Earrings during her televised debate with former President Donald Trump quickly spread across social media following the pair's closing statements.

One X user, sharing a pair of images that place the Nova H1 Audio Earrings side-by-side with a screen capture of Harris during the debate, highlights the rapidly circulating claims, stating "Rumors are circulating that Kamala Harris was wearing audio earrings and being fed lines." Before posing the question: "Isn't this against the debate rules?"

According to ABC News' rules for the September 10 presidential debate, both candidates were expected to "stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate and no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage," which would suggest the forbidding of earpieces.

Further clarifying rules surrounding communication surrounding the event, ABC News stated that "Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks."

This would suggest that any communication other than that between candidates and the moderators is forbidden, and would place Harris in hot water if these claims were proven to be true. However, can they be?

Harris has a long history of wearing pearls, so it isn't too difficult to track down images of the Vice President donning the same pair of earrings at a previous event.

High-resolution pictures of Harris, taken while delivering remarks to NCAA championship teams (see above), taken earlier this year show her wearing the same earrings as seen during last night's debate, which can clearly be identified as not a pair of the clip-on Nova H1 Audio Earrings.

While it's possible to claim that the earrings may have been modified, with the Nova H1's frame being swapped out, it's this part of the device that houses the electronics, which would leave only the pearl behind.

The actual earrings worn by Vice President Kamala Harris during her presidential debate are 18K gold South Sea Pearl Earrings, formally available as part of the Tiffany Hardwear collection (see below).

Outlook

Once again, thanks to higher-resolution imagery, claims of a Democratic candidate donning an earpiece for a debate are proved to be misleading.

While this claim is easy enough to clarify, it's a solid reminder of staying vigilant in the face of bold claims based on low-quality imagery — or even high-quality imagery in an age of generative AI where deepfake images are so easy to create.

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The much anticipated AirPods 4 are finally here, and as an AirPods 3 owner, I'm excited to see what the differences are, even at first glance.

I love the AirPods 3 because they're not only affordable (for Apple) but they are designed without ear tips, which don't sit in my ear well. However, that affordability does come at a cost. The biggest difference with the AirPods 4 is the inclusion of active noise cancellation (ANC).

That being said, Apple also offers a cheaper model of the AirPods 4 without ANC. So, how do they stack up against each other without that? Let's jump in.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Specs

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Price

Apple no longer sells the AirPods 3 in their store, which explains why they're priced at $179, matching the cost of the AirPods 4 with ANC. 

There's no reason why you should buy the AirPods 3 over the AirPods 4 when its top model comes with a massive feature like ANC. Even the discounts we're seeing for the AirPods 3 aren't worth it. It's still cheaper to buy the new generation because the AirPods 4 starts at $129. That's without ANC, to be sure, but the AirPods 3 didn't have it either.

How about if you already have the AirPods 3 — should you upgrade?

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Design

The AirPods 4 and AirPods 3 look rather similar, so there's not many changes here, but there are some size differences.

The AirPods 3 comes in at 1.21 x 0.72 x 0.76 inches, 0.15 ounces, and its charging case sizes up to 1.83 x 2.14 x 0.84 inches, 1.34 ounces. Meanwhile, the AirPods 4 resizes to 1.19 x 0.72 x 0.71 inches, 0.15 ounces and its case comes in at 1.82 x 1.97 x 0.83 inches, 1.14~1.22 ounces.

It shrunk and grew in some places, but you might not notice unless you're looking at them side-by-side. However, you might be able to feel that the stems are shorter, so there's less space for your fingers to touch. And the charging case is smaller and lighter, which is a win overall. 

Apple claims that the AirPods 4 are the most comfortable AirPods ever. Of course, that'll depend on how it fits in an individual's ear. My ears seem to be picky, but maybe those slim size differences can change more than I expect. I won't know for sure until I get these babies in my ear.

However, it seems that the AirPods 4 offer more protection. The AirPods 3 are rated for IPX4 while the AirPods 4 are rated for IP54. The former covers sweat and water resistance for non-water sports and exercise while the latter covers all that and dust.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Audio

The AirPods 3 sound pretty good for what they are, but since we haven't tested the AirPods 4, I can't tell you if there's a difference. However, what I can tell you is that the AirPods 3 features only the H1 processor versus the AirPods 4 new H2 processor.

With an H2 chip, the AirPods 4 is designed to deliver "richer bass and crystal-clear highs." We have seen that effectiveness thanks to the AirPods Pro 2. The H2 chip also delivers the new Personalized Spatial Audio, which gives you a surround sound-like experience.

Then there's the ANC, which blocks out the ambient noise around you. If you frequently commute to work or school, this is a critical feature. I'd say being able to actually listen to your earbuds is a boon for the AirPods.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Additional features

The AirPods 4 is designed to provide better audio quality, but it also comes with a few other features. 

There are Siri Interactions, which you can use to nod or shake your head in order to respond to Siri announcements. Voice Isolation will decrease or even eliminate your background noise while on a call.

With ANC also comes Transparency mode and Adaptive Audio, which automatically switches ANC to Transparency mode so you can hear when you're talking to someone. 

Honestly, I'm not all that impressed with the new features apart from the ANC and its accompanying software.

AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Battery life

Now this is where it gets a little interesting. We know that battery life drains faster when ANC is off, but the AirPods 3 actually offers longer battery life even when ANC is off on AirPods 4.

The AirPods 3 features up to 6 hours of listening (5 hours with Personalized Spatial Audio Enabled) and up to 4 hours of talking. With the charging case, that increases to 30 hours of listening and 20 hours of talking.

The AirPods 4 offers up to 5 hours of listening and 4.5 hours of talking. With the charging case, it increases to 30 hours of listening and 20 hours of talking. However, when ANC is enabled, it's 4 hours of listening and 4.5 hours of talking. The charging case bumps that up to 20 hours of listening and talking.

If you're looking for the longest listening time, then the AirPods 3 takes it by an hour longer. However, are you willing to give up all those nice features for a mere hour?

Outlook

I cannot pick a proper victor until I get the AirPods 4 in my hands, but so far it's looking pretty good for the new kid on the block.

Apple is making a strong case with the $129 starting price. Then matching the previous generation and adding ANC is a sweet deal. But don't get it twisted, you're paying the Apple tax regardless, though it's not as expensive as it could have been.

For now, watch this page for an update in the coming weeks, and check out news, rumors, and updates on everything related to the AirPods 4 and all things tech by following Laptop Mag on X, Facebook, and Flipboard as it arrives.

If you had any doubt about Apple's ambitions as a health-focused company, a new generation of AirPods hardware and software is here to allay them.

At its 'Glowtime' event on Monday, Apple took the wraps off a new generation of AirPods, including a two-tiered lineup of AirPods 4 and software-upgraded AirPods Pro 2 that reimagines its Pro products as over-the-counter hearing aids.

Here's everything you need to know about Apple's updated wireless audio offerings.

AirPods Pro 2: New hearing aid features and hearing protection

The AirPods Pro 2's new hearing aid feature is enabled by a newly added hearing test that Apple says is 'clinically validated.' The process seems fairly simple: Both the AirPods and an iPhone are used to assess a user's hearing. Results of users' hearing tests can be viewed in the Health app after they've been conducted.

After setting up the hearing loss feature, Apple says the AirPods Pro 2 can boost sounds in real-time. That hearing profile is also automatically applied to other audio, such as phone calls and movies.

If you don't need hearing aids and want to help ensure you won't in the near future, Apple also added 'hearing protection' to the AirPods Pro 2 to help guard your ears against potentially harmful noise levels. As someone who lives in New York City and takes the subway regularly, I shudder to think how often a hearing protection feature might kick in.

Apple said its new hearing aid features won't be available until the feature fully clears FDA approval, likely later this year.

AirPods 4: Price, release date, features

While the AirPods Pro are getting a software upgrade, there was an entirely new Apple audio product at the event as well. The newly announced AirPods 4 add several new features, including a smaller charging case, active noise cancellation (if you shell out for the upgraded model), and wireless charging.

Notably, the smaller, lighter, case will also charge with USB-C as Apple makes its legally mandated transition from the Lighting port. Apple's over-the-ear AirPods Max — which got an upgrade with personalized spatial audio —  will also make that transition to USB-C.

Apple says a new design also promises to make the AirPods 4 more comfortable and deliver a 'massive improvement in sound quality.' It's hard to say without trying them ourselves, but the promise is an exciting one.

If you want active noise cancellation, you'll have to spring for the more expensive iteration of AirPods 4. Apple says the base version will cost $129, and an ANC version will run for $179. 

It's hard to imagine — in today's day and age — buying a pair of non-ANC earbuds, but for anyone who simply must stay in Apple's ecosystem for less money, the base tier might make sense.

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JBL just delivered a major upgrade with its Tour Pro 3 earbuds with over 15 feature additions, one of which solves my top travel pet peeve.

The Tour Pro 3 earbuds have been redesigned from the case up to include more quality-of-life improvements than you could ask for, from a smart charging case, hybrid dual-driver sound with spatial 360-degree and head-tracking, adaptive noise canceling, up to 44 hours of music playback, plus six mics for perfect sound on calls, and a wireless audio transmitter for in-flight entertainment.

While the jam-packed features list is certainly worth being excited about, it's the tweaks to travel connectivity that have caught my attention. As the Tour Pro 3 doubles as an audio transmitter, it allows users to wirelessly connect to in-flight entertainment without buying a separate dongle, making it easier to use your personal earbuds in the air.

Travel woes no more

As a journalist and scuba instructor, I spend a lot of my life on flights, and while I've found plenty of ways to pass the time while hurtling through the troposphere in a metal tube with wings, some of the changes to in-flight entertainment on domestic airlines have come to be a major annoyance.

If airlines even bother to give you a screen in the seatback in front of you, they often run out of headphones or don't hand them out. As a person with an Apple iPhone 14 Pro, I can't use my standard wired earbuds because they have a lightning connection rather than a 3.5mm audio jack. And I often forget to bring headphones with a standard audio jack because why waste the suitcase space? And while I do travel with Bluetooth earbuds, for all that I do enjoy my old Powerbeats Pro buds, they're a bit outdated compared to the best earbuds out there. So, they often fail to pair properly with the seatback entertainment systems.

While this is hardly a devastating problem, it's a personal pet peeve, and what good is modern tech if it can't solve that type of problem? 

The JBL Tour Pro 3 will be available on September 22 for $299. That's a $50 increase over its predecessors, but given the massive infusion of new features, it feels justified.

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As a student, sometimes you just need to jam in a pair of the best wireless earbuds and tune out the rest of the world. If you’re getting ready to head back to college and want to upgrade your audio, check out the latest Jabra earbud deals over at Amazon.

There are deals on numerous models including $50 off Jabra Elite 10, $50 off the Elite 5 earbuds, and $30 off the Elite 4 earbuds. Alongside that, there are savings on the fitness-focused Jabra Elite 8 Active and Elite 4 Active earbuds too. These water (and sweat) resistant models are perfect for blocking out noise at the gym or while running around campus. 

Jabra’s naming system is a little confusing, to say the least; you’d expect the higher number to mean the newer version, but it reflects where they fit within the range. Basically, the higher the number, the more expensive and fancier they are. So, Elite 4 is entry-level, Elite 5 is mid-range and Elite 10 is the premium option.

Regardless of which earbuds you choose, all of the options below feature active noise cancellation (ANC) so you can block out unwanted distractions and get some work done (or watch Netflix in the library, we’re not judging you).

Be sure to check out our roundup of the best back-to-school sales for more great deals on student tech including laptops, tablets, and dorm room essentials.

5 best Jabra earbuds deals 

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 preorder deals are already here following Tuesday's Google launch event. 

For a limited time, get a free $30 Amazon gift card when you preorder the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $229 at Amazon. The earbuds alone cost $229, so you're getting $30 in free cash to spend on future Amazon purchases. 

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds are the first in the series to feature Google's Tensor A1 chip. They're also the first Buds specifically engineered for Gemini Google's proprietary AI assistant.

Preorders ship to arrive by the PIxel Bud Pro 2's Sept. 26, 2024 release date. 

Today's best Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 deal

Slated for a September 26, release date, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is Google's answer to Apple's AirPods Pro 2. 

Over the previous-gen Pixel Buds Pro which we loved, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are 24% lighter and 27% smaller. For a custom fit that is comfortable and stays put, Google design engineers incorporated a new twist-to-adjust stabilizer into the Pixel Buds Pro 2. 

For times when you want distraction-free listening, the force of active noise-cancellation (ANC) is strong with this one. Google's Tensor A1 chip's low-latency audio processing intuitively adapts to your environment. That's tech-talk for: You get twice the ANC power over Google's previous-gen pro-grade earbuds. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 cancels a broader range of ambient sounds from cars honking on a busy street to people chatting nearby. 

Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 also improves upon its predecessor in terms of battery life. The new Tensor A1 chip is so efficient that despite having a smaller form factor, the new Pixel Buds Pro 2 lasts up to 8 hours on a full charge. That's 30 minutes longer than the Pixel Buds Pro. 

If the Pixel Buds Pro 2's new features tick all the boxes for you, preorder before Sept. 28 to score a free $30 gift card. 

OnePlus Buds 3 earbuds are cheaper than ever — just in time for your back-to-school needs. 

You can nab the OnePlus Buds 3 right now for just $69 from the OnePlus Store. That's $30 off their normal price of $99 and the cheapest they've ever been. In some instances, you can find the best tech bargains directly from the source, and this is the perfect example. 

We didn't get a chance to test them, but Tom's Guide crowned the OnePlus Buds 3 with their Editor's Choice Award. They gave the OnePlus Buds 3 a solid rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars for great sound, powerful ANC, and superior call quality. 

If you want flagship earbud features at a budget-friendly price, the OnePlus Buds 3 are a sensible choice. At just under $70, they offer a good value. 

Today's best OnePlus Buds 3 deal

Smart glasses come in many shapes and sizes, from the inconspicuous Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses to the bulkier display-housing frames of AR glasses like the VITURE Pro XR. However, there is something that a lot of smart glasses have in common: a fairly substantial price tag.

If only there were a way of enjoying some of that smart glasses functionality without needing to fork over hundreds of dollars. Thankfully, now there is a way. The JLab JBuds Frames are a clip-on pair of Bluetooth speakers that can attach to any regular specs to deliver an open-ear wireless audio experience for listening to music,  taking calls, or communicating with an AI assistant.

They simulate some of the experience of owning a pair of smart glasses, typically outfitted with a similar open-ear audio solution, but at a fraction of the cost. Better still, you get to keep your old glasses in the process. However, can these budget alternatives stand up to the real deal? Let’s find out.

JLab Jbuds Frames: Price and availability

The JLab JBuds Frames are available for $49.99 at Amazon, Target, and Walmart, though routinely subject to discounts that see the Bluetooth speakers fall to around $10.

Included with your purchase is a small USB Type-A charging cable, a JLab branded travel pouch, and four silicone secure-fit sleeves for the arms of the speakers to better attach to the temples of your glasses.

JLab’s JBuds Frames aren’t smart glasses, but they will outfit your regular glasses with the audio smart glasses-like capability of products like the $39 Razer Anzu Smart Glasses or more premium $299 Bose Frames Tenor.

However, unlike both of these options, JLab’s Frames can clip onto any glasses you choose, allowing you the freedom of switching from glasses to sunglasses and retaining the same hands-free, open-ear audio experience, without investing in a secondary pair of frames — not to mention the additional costs of any prescription lenses you might need to fit.

JLab Jbuds Frames: Design

The Frames look fairly sleek by themselves, mixing black matte and shiny plastic in a way that doesn’t come across as cheap or tacky. Each of the Frames’ two halves features a raised matte point surrounded by a winding bevel. A small detail that gives the otherwise boxy body some character. 

The flat matte surface of this point delineates the outer-facing wing of the device (with its opposite wing housing two plastic arms to hook over the temples of the frames of your glasses), which features a raised JLab logo. At the top of each speaker, more JLab branding joins a single tactile multi-function button and a small LED indicator.

At the base of each device, a pinhole microphone is adjacent to the magnetic pins used to snap the included charger into place, then a downward-firing speaker before curling up to the rear of the device — the rounded corner of which houses another open-ear speaker designed to send audio directly towards the ear of the wearer.

It’s a simple design, but effectively emulates other open-ear audio layouts and doesn’t feel shoddily made or flimsy by any metric. Perhaps my main gripe about the design of the Frames is with each speaker’s affixed plastic hooks, which don’t offer much space for thicker frames.

While there’s a fair amount of flex to be found in them, stretching them over the temples of thicker plastic sunglasses will leave you feeling like you’re pushing each one its limits — especially if you’re also using the silicone sleeves for their much-needed grip.

Placing the Frames onto a pair of glasses means attaching considerable bulk to their overall look. However, with each speaker weighing just 13 grams, it doesn’t translate into any noticeable shift in comfort. 

JLab Jbuds Frames: Setup

Setting up the JLab JBuds Frames is relatively straightforward. All that’s required is to hold down the button on each device for a few seconds and they’ll quickly enter pairing mode. From here you can use your phone, laptop, tablet, or any other device outfitted with Bluetooth to connect to the speakers.

After you’re connected, place each speaker onto the temples of your glasses, put them on, and readjust accordingly. You’ll want them as close to your ears as possible to maintain clarity and volume while avoiding excessive audio bleed.

Interestingly, you can use each speaker individually, which, while underwhelming when it comes to enjoying music, could effectively double JLab’s claimed eight hours of lifetime (but more on those claims later).

JLab Jbuds Frames: Audio

Sadly, audio quality is where the Frames’ budget pricing comes out in full force.

The sound quality offered by an open-ear design like that of the Frames would never compete with some of the best headphones money can buy. An open-ear design like this is great for maintaining situational awareness, allowing you to listen to media without shutting out the wider world. This means they’re ideal if you want to work out, go for a jog, or go for a stroll without worrying about not hearing that ten-ton truck come rearing down the street.

However, there’s some audio bleed at higher volumes to contend with, which you might want to consider while wearing them in quieter public spots if you don’t want to commit any social faux pas when it comes to blaring your favorite tracks in the library. Sticking to the hustle and bustle of city streets will leave you very little to worry about though, especially if you drop the volume by a level or two.

While the 16mm drivers could be louder, their peak volume is the least of the Frames’ concerns. The result was thin and flat no matter what I let seep out from these speakers. Even enabling the Bass Boost (by triple-clicking the right-hand side speaker’s button) didn’t revive the kick of some of my most loved tracks.

Even listening to Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crüe, a song that goes so hard it makes me want to don lycra, frost my hair, and start an underground pro wrestling league in the basement of the local jazzercise hall, I was left wanting by the overall failure to elevate in any one particular area of sound.

Perhaps it was most exemplified when I listened to Mr. Brightside by The Killers. Typically, that low-fi audio introduction builds into a swell of full richness and flavourful snare shots by the time the first verse is over. However, listening to the track through the Frames just maintains that low-fi vibe indefinitely, never dragging itself out from the muddy middle ground it finds itself in.

It’s far from the worst audio experience I’ve had. But it’s also far from the best. Interestingly, call quality is fairly decent, though once again I’d be happy with a little more in terms of volume. The speakers do a decent job at handling voices, and it’ll come as no shock that I found them to be excellent when it comes to enjoying audiobooks or listening to YouTube videos in the background while I did other things.

JLab Jbuds Frames: Performance

Sure, they might not be the audio bargain I hoped for, but JLab’s Frames are still handy.

The number of shortcuts available by pressing either the left or right device’s switches is impressive, with single clicks handling volume and a double click on the right-hand speaker stopping and starting tracks.

There’s some impressive functionality to be found by double-trapping the left-hand button, however, as this will open up your device’s smart assistant. This allowed me quick, hands-free access to powerful AI assistants like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini, which is more than handy when you’re busying about and need a quick answer or solution without pausing to Google. That slice of its capabilities alone will be worth plenty to some.

Several other inputs control skipping through tracks, individually powering off each speaker, and even handling incoming calls. All of these are well-registered and are plenty forgiving for speed. I never once misfired an input while wearing them.

While the audio experience is middling, it’s more than serviceable, though it pales compared to some of the rich soundscapes offered by more premium open-ear smart glasses like the XREAL Air 2.

JLab claims that its Bluetooth speakers can last up to eight hours on a single charge, though with the audio routinely cranked up to its maximum, I managed six at best. Still, that’s nothing I’ll sneer too heavily over; that’s enough to get me through spells of having an available USB Type-A port nearby to top things up again.

Bottom line

Budget buys will often cost you in ways their pricetag won’t. The JLab JBuds Frames cost you audio quality mostly, but they do provide plenty beyond the realms of Spotify playlists to counter that.

At their full price, the Frames might be hard to recommend. However, given how often I’ve seen them go on sale (and the size of that discount), I’d happily recommend them to anyone interested in sampling how some of the more premium smart glasses can sound or feel to use.

Just bear in mind, that the open-ear audio of all smart glasses is not created equal, and here are much better experiences to be found further up the chain.

More from Laptop Mag

• What are smart glasses? Yesteryear’s ‘next big thing’ is finally finding an audience
• Why smart glasses will be the death of VR headsets
• I used AR Glasses to replace my monitors — here’s what happened

One of the best study tools you can invest in is a good pair of earbuds. And luckily, Amazon is doling out huge discounts on Apple's popular AirPods.

Right now, you can grab the AirPods 2 for just $69 on Amazon — that's almost 50% off, and the lowest price we've ever seen for these stellar earbuds. We haven't reviewed the AirPods 2 ourselves, but our sister sites awarded the buds an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars for their easy pairing, crisp audio, and hands-free Siri use.

If you'd prefer to get current-gen earbuds from Apple that offer water resistance and noise cancellation, opt for the AirPods Pro 2 at only $179 ($70 in savings) or the AirPods 3 for just $129 ($40 in savings).

These deals will only last while supplies do, so if you've been wanting to get a pair of Apple AirPods, grab them while they're at these awesome discounts.

Today's best AirPods 2 deal

Today's Prime Day 2024 sales continue to impress, and for Apple fans and music lovers perhaps no deal tops the AirPods Max hitting an all-time low price of $394 at Amazon.

Apple's AirPods Max is one of our picks for the best noise-canceling headphones and a favorite among audiophiles and lovers of high-quality audio on-the-go. Today's deal sees the premium headphones available for $155 less than their typical $549 asking price, reaching its lowest price ever.

Don't expect prices like this to stick around much longer, this enormous discount ends today when Prime Day draws to a close. Looking at the pricing history of Apple's AirPods Max, it could be some time until we see these headphones fall to the same low price again.

Don't hesitate! Save big today and reap the premium audio rewards of the AirPods Max for less.

• Check out more Prime Day headphone deals

Today's best Apple AirPods Max Prime Day deal 

Amazon Prime Day 2024 is July 16-17 and early deals offer an idea of the kind of money we can expect to save. 

For example, you can get the AirPods 2 for $69 which is on par with last year's Black Friday price. We had a feeling Amazon would revisit this deal given its popularity. Meanwhile, the best-selling AirPods Pro 2 is on sale for $169 at Amazon, their lowest price yet, and is undoubtedly one of the best headphone deals of the season.

If you can't wait until the event starts next week, these early Prime Day AirPods deals certainly don't disappoint. 

Be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day 2024 deals hub for the latest information  — and best deals  — on Amazon's popular sales event.

Early Prime Day AirPods deals — Quick links

• Apple EarPods USB-C: $19 $17 @ Amazon
• Apple AirPods 2: $129 $69 @ Amazon
• Apple AirPods 3: $169 $129 @ Amazon
• Apple AirPods Pro 2: $249 $169 @ Amazon
• Apple AirPods Max: $549 $399 @ Amazon

Early Prime Day AirPods deals 

Don't miss this phenomenal Prime Day 2024 deal on Apple's beloved second-generation earbuds with the Apple AirPods Pro 2 on sale for $169 at Amazon. For a total of $80 off from its original price of $249, you're getting one of our most beloved earbuds (we gave the product a perfect score in our review), featuring impressive noise-cancellation, customizable tips to suit your exact ear shape, and IP54 dust, sweat, and water resistance rating.

Best of all, this deal marks the lowest price ever for the Apple AirPods Pro 2, solidifying it as one of the best Amazon Prime Day deals and best Prime Day Apple days of 2024 — if not the best. Alternatively, if you're looking for a great deal on earbuds without an Apple logo, the Beats Studio Buds Plus are available for $129 at Amazon, which is $40 off their original price. 

Otherwise, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 stun with their premium audio quality, USB-C charging, Dolby Atmos compatibility, and swipe controls. If you're in need of an incredible Prime Day deal, do yourself a favor and get the AirPods Pro 2 for yourself at this impossible to resist price.

Today's best AirPods Pro 2 deal

Amazon's Prime Day sale is July 16-17, and that's when we tend to see the lowest prices of the year on select electronics. Although Prime Day is supposed to start next week, early discounts are popping up on Amazon. 

One standout deal is the Beats Studio Buds Plus (Black/Gold) for $129 at Amazon. They typically cost $169, so you're saving $40. I track deals throughout the year, and this is the lowest price I've seen for the Beats Studio Buds Plus in this colorway. It's just $10 shy of the Beats Studio Plus (Transparent)'s all-time low price and one of the best early Prime Day headphone deals you can get now. 

Although we didn't test them, the Beats Studio Buds Plus garnered an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars across our sister site. Featuring powerful, balanced audio and ANC with transparency mode, these earbuds sound as good as they look. 

If you want the best AirPods Pro 2 alternatives money can buy, the Beats Studio Buds Plus is the choice.

Best Beats Studio Buds Plus deal

Just in time for lazy days by the pool, Jabra's popular (and recently released) Elite 10 earbuds get a $50 price cut at Best Buy.

These earbuds boast 3D surround sound powered by Dolby Atmos with Head Tracking technology, helping the sound move around you and keep you immersed no matter what you're doing. Jabra's Elite 10 buds also feature excellent active noise-canceling (ANC) technology, a decent battery life, and an updated, comfortable fit. 

To grab the Jabra Elite 10 earbuds for just $199 at Best Buy, you need to have a Plus membership. This membership costs $50 annually, but if you buy new tech throughout the year, it's worth it. Check out a full list of Best Buy's exclusive member deals to see how much more you can save with a membership.

Today's best Jabra Elite 10 ANC Earbuds deal

Great news if you want to pick up some new wireless earbuds for the summer. For a limited time, you can get Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in graphite colorway for just $105 at Amazon. These earbuds typically cost $229, so that's a staggering $124 in savings, or 54% if you like to crunch numbers. 

This is the lowest price I've seen for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro since February when they dropped to $104. At just $1 shy of their record-low price, this Galaxy Buds Pro 2 offer is one of the best headphone deals of the summer so far. 

Samsung calls these earbuds "graphite," but to us, they are "black," and most people may see them as the same. If you're a black or dark gray/graphite earbuds fan, you won't want to pass up this deal. 

If you don't mind spending a little more, Amazon offers the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in violet purple for $118 or the white color scheme Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $111.

In our Galaxy Buds 2 Pro review, we liked their sleek, cute, and compact design. As our reviewer says, "Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer all the features you've come to expect from a premium pair of earbuds (ANC, Ambient Mode, seamless pairing and switching) and adds the potentially game-changing Hi-Fi audio that's made sweeter with 360 audio."

Whether you own a Galaxy phone or just want to upgrade your wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro should be at the top of your list.

Best Galaxy Buds 2 Pro deal

With summer quickly approaching, it's the perfect time to upgrade your earbuds. 

Whether your summer plans include lounging around the pool, exploring your city, or not moving from your couch, a premium set of earbuds will improve your summer experiences tenfold. 

When you think of "premium earbuds," Bose might be one of the first companies that springs to mind. High-quality earbuds from Bose don't come cheap, but luckily, the company's QuietComfort Earbuds 2 in Soapstone are only $189 at Amazon — that's an all-time low price for these earbuds and a savings of $90!

These popular earbuds offer unrivaled active noise cancellation, with multiple modes to personalize the amount of noise cancellation. And the sound quality? Absolutely stellar. 

Check out our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 review for more reasons why they earned 4.5 out of 5 stars and our Editor's Choice award.

If you want to make sure there's not a better deal before splurging on these QuietComfort Earbuds 2 from Bose, check out the best headphone deals we've rounded up this month.

Today's best Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 deal

You can check the battery life of your AirPods with ease... as long as you are connected to an Apple product. You're not? No worries, we have a solution for that, too. It's not as pretty, but we'll get there.

We've been seeing AirPods deals drop recently, so it makes sense that there's an influx of Apple AirPods owners. Apple has seemingly taken notice, too—the tech giant published a support article about AirPods battery life back in March. How to check your AirPods' battery life if they aren't connected to an Apple device is not so obvious, but it can be done.

We'll also discuss a few tips for checking AirPods battery life physically and how best you can optimize charging your AirPods. We've also covered how to pair AirPods to your laptop and how to pair AirPods to iPhone, which are relevant to the following steps.

Here's how to check AirPods battery life.

How to check AirPods battery life

iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Method 1: You can check the AirPods battery life by opening your Charging Case (while the AirPods are inside) and holding the case close to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The battery life should appear on your device after a few seconds.

Method 2: Check the AirPods battery life by adding the Batteries widget to your home screen. You'll be able to see the battery life percentage of your AirPods and AirPods case as well as your device.

Mac

Step 1. Open your AirPods Charging Case or take the AirPods out of the case.

Step 2. In the top right corner, select the Control Center (looks like two toggle sliders).

Step 3. Scroll to your AirPods and if you hover or select, you should see the battery life percentage.

Android

There is no built-in function on Android to check AirPods battery life. However, that doesn't mean you can't still do it.

To check the battery life of your Apple AirPods on an Android device, you need to install a third-party app like AirBattery. Give the app permission to display over other apps, then select your AirPods model.

Windows

Similar to Android, Windows does not have a built-in function to check AirPods' battery life. Third-party apps to the rescue once more!

You can download Bluetooth Battery Monitor, which you can use to see the battery life percentage on your Apple AirPods and any Bluetooth device. Once the app is installed, open it and start adding your devices.

Charging Case

You can technically check your AirPods battery life via the Charging Case, but it's not helpful.

The status light will turn on when your AirPods Charging Case is open. If it's green, that means you have more than one full charge remaining. It will turn amber if it's less than one full charge.

Optimized Battery Charging

We also have a few tips to optimize your battery charging for AirPods. The Optimized Battery Charging feature is available for the AirPods Pro and the third-generation AirPods.

The iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch adjust how your AirPods Pro or third-generation AirPods charge based on your routines. So, they'll keep your AirPods at 80% until shortly before you need to use them.

This is mostly helpful for those who have scheduled charging routines, but if you can work one in, it might be a good idea for your AirPods' battery health. 

Optimized Battery Charging is enabled by default, but you can disable it by opening the Charging Case, going to Settings > Bluetooth > More Info, and turning off Optimized Battery Charging.

AirPods battery life: Checked

It's as easy as that. Now, you know every way you can check your AirPods battery life and optimize your battery life charging.

For more news, rumors, and how-tos on everything Apple AirPods related, and all things tech, follow Laptop Mag on X, Facebook, and Flipboard for the latest word as it arrives. We are also keeping track of the AirPods 4.

You don't have to wait for Memorial Day or Prime Day to score epic Apple deals, Currently, Amazon has the AirPods Max on sale for $449. Normally $549, that's $100 in savings and the lowest price we've seen in a while for the AirPods Max. This is one of the best headphone deals we've spotted since the start of the year. 

AirPods Max made the list of our top picks for best noise-canceling headphones. By design, the AirPods Max is minimalist, chic, and best of all — comfortable. Thanks to mesh fabric-covered memory foam ear cups, they keep your ears cozy and dry even when worn for long periods.

So if you're due for some new ear cans or want to surprise that grad you know, here you can't go wrong with the AirPods Max. 

Today's best AirPods Max deal

Ahead of the upcoming Apple event, the AirPods 2 are down to their lowest price of the year. Whether you're shopping for a last-minute Mother's Day gift or accessories for that new MacBook or iPad you just bought (or plan to buy *hint hint*), here's a deal you might like. 

Currently, Amazon offers the Apple AirPods 2 for just $79 which is $50 below their usual price of $129. This is one of the best AirPods deals I've seen all year, the lowest so far. It's just $10 shy of their record discounted price of $69 which we likely won't see again for a while. If you can live without water resistance and noise cancellation, these are the cheapest AirPods you can get at the moment. 

Alternatively, you can sweat and water-resistance with the Editor's Choice AirPods 3 for just $139 ($30 off) — their biggest discount yet! In our AirPods 3 review, we loved their extremely comfortable design, great sound, and excellent battery life. Though they lack the noise-cancelling capabilities of the AirPods Pro 2, they offer some if its premium features like spatial audio and up to 6 hours of battery life.

Apple deals this good don't come around often, so I don't hesitate too long!

Today's best AirPods 2 deal

Apple's other best-selling audio brand — Beats, just announced the Beats Solo Buds Monday. For just under $79, these wireless earbuds offer big full-range sound, ergonomic design, and up to 18 hours of battery life. However, if you want noise-cancellation, spatial sound, and water resistance, the AirPods Pro 2 might be more your speed. 

Currently, the AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $179 at Amazon. They usually cost $249, so that's $70 off and marks a new price low for the AirPods Pro 2. This is one of the most notable AirPods deals I've seen all year and one of the best Apple deals ahead of Memorial Day. Besides active-noise cancellation and water/sweat resistance, AirPods Pro 2 earbuds feature USB-C charging, adaptive audio, 3D sound, conversation awareness, and personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking.

At just under $180, the AirPods 2 and cheaper than ever before and an excellent value for the price. Looking for the cheapest AirPods you can get right now? Amazon offers the AirPods 2 for just $89 ($40 off).

Today's best AirPods Pro 2 deal

Chances are, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are on your radar if you're on the hunt for your next noise-cancelling earbuds, Bose's renowned sound and superior noise blocking comes at a steep price. Luckily, spring savings offer some relief for your bank account. 

Right now, you can get Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 for $199 at Amazon. That's $100 below their $299 list price and the cheapest they've ever been. This is one of the best Bose deals I've seen outside of big sales like Black Friday. In fact, it's one of the best headphone deals I've spotted since the start of the year.

Today's Best Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 deal

Right now, you can get Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for as low as $139 via Samsung's trade-in program. This is great news if you're looking for a price break on some new wireless earbuds. These normally cost $229, so that's $90 in savings and the lowest price I've seen for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro this year. 

Here's how Samsung's trade program works. You'll get an instant discount of $90 when you trade-in your previous-gen Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 or Apple AirPods. Or, trade-in any other older model Samsung earbuds to take $30 off. Don't have any Samsung earbuds to trade-in? No problem. You can still save $20 when you swap any other brand of wireless or wired headphones for the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. 

This is one of the best headphone deals from Samsung's spring savings offers.  Whether you want to treat yourself or surprise mom for Mother's Day, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. 

Best Galaxy Buds 2 Pro deal

Apple's AirPods Pro might soon gain a "major new hearing aid mode," according to a recent subscriber-only Power On newsletter from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (via MacRumors). Gurman claims that this new accessibility feature would launch alongside iOS 18, which is thought to be announced at WWDC 2024 and release this fall.

Rumors of a hearing aid feature for the AirPods Pro aren't new. In 2021, the Wall Street Journal speculated that the next-gen AirPods Pro would have a hearing aid feature, but the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) released in September 2022 with no such feature. This new hearing aid mode reported on by Gurman could be the same feature reported on in 2021 by the WSJ, with three years worth of improvements.

Will AirPods Pro be official hearing aids?

AirPods Pro currently have a few audio-boosting features, like Live Listen and Conversation Boost, but these features aren't FDA-approved and they're not supposed to help replace official hearing aids.

Currently, the FDA defines a hearing aid as “any wearable device designed for, offered for the purpose of, or represented as aiding persons with or compensating for, impaired hearing," which includes "both air-conduction and bone-conduction devices."

In 2022, the FDA approved a new category of hearing aids called Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs) that could be purchased over the counter. PSAPs are "not intended to aid persons with or compensate for impaired hearing" and don't require FDA approval to hit the shelves. 

Right now, we're not sure how Apple intends to market this feature. The only bit of information we have to go off of is Gurman calling the feature a "hearing aid mode." If Apple plans to market these as hearing aids for users with hearing-related medical conditions, they'd need FDA approval. But if the company plans to market them as simply an audio amplification feature, AirPods Pro might only gain the PSAP label.

We'll likely hear more about this feature when WWDC 2024 happens in June. Until then, we'll keep thinking about these five features Apple should have introduced on the AirPods Pro 2.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are fashionable, functional, and deliver audiophile-worthy sound. Featuring an open-ear, flex arms design, they stay in your ears and let you enjoy music without totally drowning out your surroundings. Although there's no outright discount for these new release Bose headphones, here's how to snag some savings.

New QVC customers can get Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for $279 with coupon, "HELLO20" at checkout. That's $20 off their regular retail price of $299, so you'd be snagging them for a record low price. To get this deal, you must create a QVC account and have a valid email address. 

In terms of headphone deals, it's one of the best available on Bose-branded earbuds. For joggers, runners, gym rats, and commuters who want high-fidelity sound to go, Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a solid buy. 

Today's best Bose Ultra Open Earbuds deal

Put away those bulky headphones and slippery, sometimes uncomfortable, earbuds, Bose is redefining wearable audio with its new Ultra Open Earbuds. Forget choosing between immersive sound and staying aware of your surroundings – these innovative, cuff-shaped earbuds offer the best of both worlds.

Available for $299, the Ultra Open Earbuds rest comfortably on the outer edge of your ear, eliminating ear canal blockage and ensuring you stay connected to your environment. Whether that means listening to podcasts while walking the dog or enjoying workout music without missing your friend's conversation, these open-ear buds seamlessly integrate audio into your day-to-day life.

Beyond functionality, the Ultra Open Earbuds boast a sleek, minimalist design with polished edges and a brushed metal finish. They’re designed to complement, not clash, with your personal style, effortlessly paired with glasses, hats, and jewelry. Comfort is paramount, and the Bose-engineered flex arm, coated in soft silicone, ensures a secure, light-as-air fit on most ear shapes.

So, if you crave exceptional audio quality without sacrificing awareness or style, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds offer a revolutionary listening experience at a premium price.

With so many positives on display, the best wireless earbuds should quake in their charging cases. The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a serious contender, so listen in a little, and let’s see how they fare.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Price and availability

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds cost $299, which puts them in the top tier with the Bose Quite Comfort Earbuds 2 ($299),  Technics EAH-AZ807 ($299), and the Sony WF-1000XM4 ($279). All of the earbuds listed feature excellent sound quality and premium active noise canceling.

However, the Bose Ultra Open buds do not, and they’re not meant to. While they lack the current earbud meta, Bose’s earbuds offer something all-new: An open-ear experience pairing audiophile-level quality and natural sound pickup to great effect.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Design

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds come in sleek, stylish Black and White Smoke colorways. The contrast in textures between their soft and metallic finishes makes them feel like a luxurious fashion piece, and I like that a lot.

They’re more like a pair of clip-on earrings than your traditional earbuds, and thanks to the ultra-soft silicone flex arm that connects the speaker to the battery barrel, they stay on your ear regardless if you’re just walking around or going for a jog.

For easy control, a physical button sits conveniently on each of the ear-resting barrels, allowing you to play, pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, and more. Additionally, the Bose Music app unlocks Auto Volume, which intelligently adjusts your audio level based on ambient noise, ensuring consistent sound wherever you go.

Built for real-world use, the Ultra Open Earbuds boast an IPX4 rating, making them sweat and water-resistant, so you can confidently wear them during workouts or light rain.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Comfort

I have large, oddly shaped ears which makes finding properly fitting earbuds challenging. However, the Ultra Open Earbuds are so super lightweight, that I would often completely forget I was wearing them, especially since they don’t sit within my ears.

I couldn’t locate or find the details for how much they weigh, but how exactly does one measure air? (Don’t answer that, I am pretty sure there's a way.) When I find out, I will update you. 

Once you learn how to put them on (and there is a brief learning curve), you’ll immediately notice how lightweight and unobtrusive they are. I went about my day strolling the streets of Manhattan, riding the subway, and walking in the park, all while enjoying my music and surroundings.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are so comfortable, that it was only when I returned home and my significant other asked me if I got a new pair of earrings that I remembered I had them on.

Gone are the days of headphones gripping uncomfortably. The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds utilize innovative flex arms feel incredibly secure. Its ultra-soft silicone coating gives a unique sensation, reminding me of the smooth, delicate touch of one of my kid's skin when they were infants. This meticulous design ensures a snug, perfect fit without ever feeling intrusive, seamlessly becoming an extension of yourself. 

It was a great experience until my significant other snatched them, and once she had them, she ran off like Smeagol in “Lord of the Rings” to hide in her cave. I never got to wear them again. Though, I did find her dancing in the hallway and referring to them as precious. 

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Setup and controls

Setting up the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds was quick and painless. You simply connect them via Bluetooth and call it a day. However, I suggest you download the Bose Music app to enjoy the best experience. 

Within the app, you will find all the intimate controls and options that take the experience to a whole new level. Granting you access to the fine-tuning of your audio experience, including different listening modes and an EQ. The app also lets you compile all of your music services into one place, allowing for seamless listening across your entire audio library.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds prioritize seamless control. Each earbud boasts a conveniently placed physical button that grants intuitive access to playback, volume adjustments, and track navigation. No more fumbling with touch controls or awkward gestures – just simple, tactile commands at your fingertips.

But the convenience doesn't stop there. The Bose Music app unlocks the intelligent "Auto Volume" feature. This clever technology analyzes your surroundings and adjusts your audio level accordingly.

Whether you're strolling through a quiet park or navigating a bustling city street, Auto Volume ensures consistent sound clarity without you needing to constantly tinker with the settings. It's like having a personal sound engineer, automatically fine-tuning your experience for optimal enjoyment.

With both physical buttons and intelligent software features, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds empower you to take control of your listening experience, effortlessly adapting to any environment while keeping you immersed in your audio world.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Software

Bose creates next-level audio immersion thanks to the aptly named Bose Immersive Audio. This innovative technology goes beyond headphones to virtually transport you to the heart of your music, placing you center stage in a three-dimensional soundscape.

Imagine the rich, layered depth of a live concert, all delivered directly to your ears – that's the magic of Immersive Audio. When you’re using the UOE’s it feels like you’re at a live concert, which I love. 

It feels less constricted compared to traditional stereo sound. Immersive Audio expands your listening experience with a wider, more spacious stage, faithfully recreating the natural way we hear music.

Here’s the best part, it's platform-agnostic, meaning you can unlock this spatial audio experience regardless of your preferred streaming service or device.

For tailored immersion, Bose offers two distinct listening modes: "Still" and "Motion." The "Still" mode is ideal for stationary listening, anchoring the sound stage to a fixed position and creating a concert-hall atmosphere in your living room. On the other hand, "Motion" keeps the music dynamically adjusting to your head movements, ensuring you stay immersed even on the move.

You can choose different modes to enjoy different audio experiences. In this part of the app you will find the options of Stereo, immersion, and music, which all provide a different listening experience. There is also an equalizer, which you can manually adjust or make use of the bass boost, and treble boost presets. 

Whether you're a discerning audiophile or simply crave a deeper connection to your music, Bose Immersive Audio promises a transformative listening experience. It's not just about hearing your music – it's about feeling it.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Audio

I went a little old school with Linkin Park’s “Hi-Voltage” and the audio was excellent with beautifully discernable tonal separation, and shockingly good bass and treble when you consider that the unit's speaker is not sitting directly in your ear. It is akin to being at a live concert, which I mentioned earlier. Listening to the thumping bass beat, and rap lyrics, both excellently reproduced, I felt like I was back at a Linkin Park concert some twenty or so years ago, happy. Before the kids happened. 

I moved on to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana and the scratchy opening guitars were reproduced to perfection, I was taken back. I felt like I was at a live show with a young Kurt Cobain's rough voice and powerful lyrics taking me back once again to my anxiety-ridden youth. 

Here’s the best part of the experience, it removes the need to just use one earbud so that I am fully aware of my surroundings. If you’ve ever walked around a big city late a night, you want to be completely aware, so the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds created an extra secure feeling while delivering the kind of stunning audio that reminded me of the concert halls, bar basements, and CBGB’s of my youth. 

The other thing that I love, is that even though these buds aren’t stuffed into my ears, nobody else can hear what I am listening to, no matter how loud I have the volume. Which is refreshing, and adds a level of privacy I covet as there is nothing worse than someone else dancing to your music.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Battery life

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds boast impressive battery life, keeping you connected for extended periods. With immersive audio off, a single charge is rated up to 7.5 hours, which drops to 4.5 hours with it on. In my time with them, I got all-day use plus because I mostly used them while riding the subway or when I go for my walks.

In standby mode, they last a remarkable 48 hours, perfect for all-day wear. The charging case provides an additional 19.5 hours (or 12 hours with immersive audio), and a quick 10-minute charge fuels 2 hours of playtime. So the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are dependable travel partners.

Tech-wise, the earbuds feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite, including the latest aptX Adaptive codec for lossless, low-latency audio streaming. This ensures seamless, robust connectivity, especially with premium Android devices. 

Adding to the convenience, Google Fast Pair simplifies pairing with Android devices, and Bluetooth 5.3 compatibility guarantees broad connectivity. This allowed me to easily switch between two phones and my laptop. 

If you want to enjoy a fun and more immersive experience, Bose Ultra Open Earbuds work with Bose SimpleSync technology. This allows you to pair them with select Bose smart soundbars and speakers for a personalized listening experience. Independent volume controls enable you to adjust the soundbar volume without affecting the earbuds, giving you complete control over your audio environment.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Call quality

Call quality was excellent to solid depending on my surroundings. When talking to my daughter during our weekly whist of my bank account, She said I sounded crystal clear while I was sitting at my desk in our office. 

However while talking to my uncle while walking around the busy Brooklyn streets he did say he could hear traffic behind me, but he could also very clearly hear my voice over the background noise.

Bottom line

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are truly worth every penny, they not only bring an excellent audio experience your friends and family will be jealous of, but they also provide a sense of security that urban users will take comfort in. Some may balk at the $299 price tag, but that would be a mistake. 

The Ultra Open Earbuds are the perfect meshing of audiophile-level sound experience, style, and security you can purchase today. If you love that live music experience, and keeping it to yourself, these are an excellent pair of buds to buy. If you’re active, and like taking your music with you while jogging or running, the flex arms design will make you thrilled you purchased these as they will never pop out of your ears.

Black Friday 2023 is on Nov. 24, but if you are in the market for a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds there is no reason to wait because we are already seeing our top picks hit all-time low prices.

You can find the Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds for $199 @ Amazon or Best Buy right now, which is the lowest price we've ever seen on our pick for the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market.

If you are scouting around for deals on any other tech then check out our Black Friday deals hub for the best discounts on the most wished-for tech.

In our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review, we praised them for bringing comfort, durability, great audio quality, and unrivaled ANC.

Bose rates the QuietComfort Earbuds II for six hours of battery life. Unfortunately, the ANC can’t be disabled so you can’t squeeze out an additional hour. And there's a lack of Find My functionality, so you can't find your earbuds if they jump ship (or ear).

Despite that, the QuietComfort Earbuds II’s powerful 9.3-millimeter transducers ensure a warm, punchy performance with pleasantly deep lows. 

The QC Earbuds II have an IPX4 rating, making them sweat and water-resistant, protecting them against a particularly sweaty workout or heavy rainfall. 

Once you've scooped up the QC Earbuds II, if you are still on the hunt for more deals check out our Black Friday deals hub for all of the best sales on tech.