The latest AirPod announcement conjures up divisive memories of when the company first ditched the 3.5 mm headphone jack and substituted in “AirPods”.
The AirPods 2 announcement does come as a bit of a surprise though.
Despite this announcement on Thursday and earlier Ipad releases last week, Apple still has a press event scheduled for this morning. Everyone expects the event to center around Apple’s new streaming service and perhaps even a credit card. You can watch a live stream here starting at 10 AM PDT, 12 PM CDT, and 1 PM EDT.
Despite the attempts to stir up excitement, unfortunately, the AirPods 2 don’t quite perform the task.
Memeworthy, But Not That Impressive to Begin With
Known as “AirPod Flexing”, the meme arose after Apple launched the first round of AirPod earbuds. Essentially, the joke boils down to: if you have AirPods, you have money. If someone else doesn’t, they don’t have money. It isn’t a sophisticated meme, but it hits that sweet spot of making fun of Apple users but from a position of mild jealousy.
Apple may find itself targeted by new, less amicable memes when the AirPods 2 roll out. Not due to the overall cost (though it remains high), but simply due to the lack of features added.
Rumored updates to the AirPods 2 included new colors and grippers along with noise control and “Wellness” monitoring. The rumored pricing was between $160 and $200 USD. Users also expected a design refresh, as well as better battery life and improved bass performance.
However, the announcement revealed a lackluster take at AirPods 2.0.
These Quality of Life Updates Feel Like AirPods 1.5
Though Apple did debut a wireless charging case, this does not come in the base model for AirPods. It comes available as a $40 USD upgrade, bringing the total cost of AirPods 2 to $199 USD. Meanwhile, AirPods 1 owners can buy the same charger….for $79 USD.
Apple did add the H1 chip to include “custom audio architecture to create a revolutionary audio experience” with better synchronization, the company says. The chip supposedly allows for twice-as-fast connection times between the AirPods and Apple devices.
Battery life and overall design remain the same as the original product.
But you do get enhanced voice recognition and, thus, interaction with Siri. But no one knows yet if the actual audio performance is better on the AirPods 2.
When it seems like all of Apple’s rivals are pushing innovative tech as far and as fast as they can, the tech giant still seems to be playing it safe and relying on brand loyalty to push minorly updated and overpriced new devices.
With this news, it raises further questions of what Apple is saving for their big press event today. Although many believe it is the launch of their streaming service, be prepared for at least one bombshell from the company today, most likely aimed directly at your wallet.
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