AirPods, After 14 Months No Buyer's Remorse

About a year ago, I wrote this piece extoling the terrific job Apple did creating what I consider to be the best in-ear monitors available. I thought I’d check back in with a brief update to let you know how I feel about my AirPods after owning them for fourteen months.

In brief, I LOVE THEM MORE THAN EVER.

So, if you’re in a hurry, you can stop reading now.

Otherwise, I’d like to expand on that statement just a bit. I guess my most telling testament is the fact that I use them every day, most frequently in the evening going through my Twitter feed on my iPhone. I typically listen to posted videos with a single AirPod in my left ear as my wife and I are watching TV. I peruse Twitter, mostly reading, but when there’s a video I want to watch I can do so without disturbing my wife’s TV viewing. And speaking of not disturbing, I also use my AirPods as the audio output for one of my Apple TVs when I want to watch something late at night or when my wife would otherwise prefer not to hear. AirPods are so light, comfortable and unobtrusive that I often listen to a podcast or audiobook in bed, fall asleep with them in my ears and wake the next morning with them still there. They don’t disturb my sleep at all. Without question, AirPods are the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever worn. They fit my ears very well, but more importantly, they are light as a feather. No wires means not only light, but nothing to snag and yank them out. Nothing hooks over my ears. They don’t fit tightly in my ear canal, so I don’t feel any pressure like with ear cups, yet they stay in my ears really well. I hike, run and even sleep with them in my ears and never worry about them falling out. I know this isn’t true for everyone, but they are perfectly shaped for my ears (or vice versa). Without a doubt, the AirPods’ wear ability is better than any earbuds on the market today.

Their second-best feature is their connectivity. Here, Apple has displayed their prowess. The proprietary W1 chip makes pairing and connecting AirPods to any Apple device completely brainless. Isn’t that what you want in a Bluetooth device? I use my AirPods with my iPhone X 90% of the time, but I also use them with my iPad and both my Macs. It’s been so long since I originally paired them, I’d almost forgotten how easy it is. You simply put your AirPod case near your iPhone and a message pops up on the phone asking if you’d like to pair them. That’s it. Once paired, you simply put one or both AirPods in your ear(s) and they connect automatically. Remove them from your ear(s) and they disconnect. I can’t imagine how Apple could make it any simpler. Additionally, the AirPods’ range is unbelievable. I can put my phone on the charger and walk anywhere in my house listening to music. Other Bluetooth devices I’ve used have trouble staying connected when my iPhone is in my pocket!

Are AirPods the best sounding IEMs? Na. Could battery life be better? Sure. I’ve spent lots of money on Bluetooth and wired earbuds, but after purchasing my AirPods, those others hardly ever get used. If I really want to melt my brain with sound, I grab my Ultimate Ears ($399). If I’m worried about getting wet, my Bose SoundSports ($199) are my first choice. For every other occasion I choose my AirPods. They are by far the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever owned. I never worry about connectivity and they sound terrific given their size and weight. I hardly ever have battery-life issues. I can play my AirPods at ¾ volume for 3 – 4 hours. If I do run them down, they recharge very quickly when I put them back in their charging case. AirPods give you a low battery warning sound when they fall below a 10% charge. Putting them into the case for 20 minutes brings them right back to full. Leaving the house in the morning with AirPods and charging case fully charged means I can use them all day with no battery worries. That’s why, after 14 months my AirPods are always in my pocket.

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