Here’s a list of some of the hidden features Apple’s packed into its AirPods that will make you think they’re the best earphones you’ve ever owned…
#1) The Easy Way To Pair With Your iPhone
Apple has several ways you can pair your new AirPods to your iPhone, but most people look over the easiest. Simply make sure they are charged and inside the charging case. Then place the charging case with your AirPods inside right near your iPhone.
Open the case and the iPhone will automatically detect the nearby AirPods. It will ask you to tap a button on the iPhone screen to pair them. That’s it.
#2) Easily Check Out How Much Battery Life Is Left
Again, the tip here involves using the case right near your iPhone. Simply open the case and a battery status menu will appear on your iPhone telling you how much juice each AirPod has left.
#3) Pair AirPods With Android Phones
While the big wireless feature of the AirPods is Apple’s new Apple W1 chip, which is how it connects to iOS devices, the AirPods also have your standard Bluetooth technology. This means that they can connect to any device that supports Bluetooth audio technology—like Android phones and Windows PCs.
To do this, open the charging case and then press and hold the button until the indicator light blinks white. Now on your Bluetooth device, go into Bluetooth settings and tell it to connect to the AirPods via Bluetooth.
#4) Charge Your AirPods From Other Devices
You normally charge the AirPods by placing them in the charging case and then plugging in a Lightning cable into it and a power source. However, you can also give juice to the case by docking it in other Lightning charging devices like iPhone docks and wireless speakers with built-in dock slots.
#5) Change The Name Of Your AirPods
You can name your AirPods anything you want. While this is kind of pointless if you only have one pair, it’s helpful if you have more than one pair—so you can distinguish between the two—or if you live in a household where everyone has their own pair.
To change the name of your AirPods on the iPhone go to Settings > Bluetooth and then tap your AirPods from the list of devices. On the next screen type in any name you want.
#6) Disable Automatic Ear Detection
AirPods are smart enough to know when they are in your ears and turn on. However, you can disable this feature by going to Settings > Bluetooth and then tap your AirPods from the list of devices. Now set automatic ear detection to “Off”.
#7) Change The Double Tap Settings
The AirPods also have features that let you tap them to activate Siri, so you don’t need to take your iPhone out of your pocket to do so. But you can change the action a double-tap initiates. On the iPhone go to Settings > Bluetooth and then tap your AirPods from the list of devices.
Now tap the double-tap setting and choose between a double-tap initiating Siri or Play/Pausing music. You can also disable the double-tap feature by setting it to “Off”.
#8) Assign The Mic To A Specific AirPod
Each AirPod has a built-in mic and the devices are smart enough to know which mic to enable if you only put on AirPod in your ear. However, if you want to disable this feature for some reason go to Settings > Bluetooth and then tap your AirPods from the list of devices to find the option to turn it off.
Are Apple AirPods Worth It?
I bought my first pair of AirPods in 2019 and quickly fell in love with them. Then I upgraded to the first-generation AirPods Pro in 2020 – and they changed my music listening experience forever. The AirPods Pro are unlike any other wireless earbuds when it comes to noise cancellation technology. The difference between the AirPods Pro and the AirPods is astounding.
Of course, in 2023, Apple has three models of AirPods on sale. They still sell the second-generation AirPods, which people seem to still prefer over their successor, the AirPods third-generation. But now Apple has also introduced the second-generation AirPods Pro – and they are freaking phenomenal.
It’s hard to believe that Apple could improve the first-generation AirPods Pro, but they’ve done it. The second-generation AirPods Pro have even better active noise cancelation.
Bottom line, no matter which AirPods you buy, they are all totally worth it.
How Apple’s AirPods Took Over The Headphone Market (In Record Time)
Perhaps Apple’s biggest hit product of 2016 was also one of its smallest. While 2016 saw lackluster updates to the Mac, iPhone, and iPad lines, which disappointed many, the company’s new AirPods earphones were praised by both consumers and the press, leading to a BOOM in the number of truly wireless earbuds on market. The best of which are listed inside our Best Apple AirPods Alternatives (For iPhone & Android) and in the table below:
And if you think Apple’s flagship is the best iPhone you can buy right now, think again! Apple makes quite a few iPhones now, and the best one isn’t always the flagship – check out our Best iPhone Guide for more information. You don’t need an iPhone to make AirPods work, but it is definitely advisable in order to take advantage of all the latest features packed inside them.
Google joined the fray as well with its Pixel Buds as well. The verdict? They suck, actually. They’re so bad we only gave them one star out of five. It’s a real shame, as the concept was very promising, but Google’s made some massive mistakes with its first set of wireless headphones and compared to Apple AirPods they pale in comparison.
You can read our full review here to find out why, but the long and the short of it is they’re extremely uncomfortable, have poor sound quality, and the star feature of real-time language translation is pretty naff. They also have crap battery life and cost a fortune for what they are.
So for now, Apple’s AirPods maintain its leadership position. And for the price, $179, they are a tad expensive – but, then again, hundreds of five-star Amazon reviews can’t all be wrong, can they!
