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Apple officially introduced the AirPods 3 on Monday evening. In addition to a new design, the third generation earbuds have many new features that are already known from the Pro version. However, there is one small thing to note in terms of battery life, namely Spatial Audio.
Apple has finally introduced the third generation of AirPods, which feature an updated design, improved sound quality and an additional hour of battery life compared to the second generation AirPods. In terms of the sound experience applying Apple describes it like this:
Combining the power of the H1 chip with an Apple-designed acoustic system, the new AirPods use computational audio to deliver groundbreaking sound with Adaptive EQ. Users can enjoy 3D audio with Dolby Atmos in Apple Music, movies and TV shows, as well as dynamic head tracking across all Apple devices.
In terms of battery life, Apple says that the new audio accessory offers a whopping six hours of battery life on a single charge, and thanks to the case, this increases to 30 hours. What Apple doesn't communicate so obviously, however, is the fact that the six hours can only be achieved if Spatial Audio remains deactivated.
AirPods 3 require iOS 13 or higher
In the small print, Apple states that the battery life is only five hours if 3D audio - i.e. spatial audio - is activated. This is the same listening time as the second generation AirPods, which do not support spatial audio. Potential buyers should take note of this feature. Incidentally, according to Apple, the AirPods 3 require at least iOS 13 or newer. This means that they are not compatible with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5S, iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3, or the sixth generation iPod touch. The new third generation AirPods will be offered alongside the second generation AirPods and the higher-quality AirPods Pro. Anyone interested in the new plugs can pre-order them from Apple now for 199 euros. Delivery will start next Tuesday. (Image: Apple)
