Let me start by saying that I love my AirPods Pro. Working for a music store, Best Buy, Apple Store, and tech coverage for iMore, I’ve tried a lot of headphones. Despite all the headphones and earbuds that came my way, it was my AirPods Pro that always reigned supreme and stuck.
It’s the combination of a great wireless earbud with the benefits of living in Apple’s walled garden. The earbuds are not only comfortable, have good battery life, and good sound, but they also work with Siri and Find My. While other earbuds may do one or some of these things better, it’s hard to find a complete package from Apple’s.
While I was happy with my AirPods Pro, the shine has started to fade over the past three years. Three years! It’s crazy that these flagship earbuds are already outdated. Because they are so outdated, other tech companies like Samsung and Google have launched their own on professional wireless earbuds for the past three years without an answer from Apple.
Seeing all these new products and the advancements they bring makes me look forward to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and Pixel Buds Pro. AirPods Pro are starting to look a bit old and sparkling and these new products look shiny and modern.
Fortunately, I don’t seem to have to go the dark path for Android earbuds, as Apple likely launches AirPods Pro 2 this fall. I’m excited, but also nervous. We’ve waited three years for the second generation, and the second generation usually sets the tone for the product line. So, Apple really needs to bring it along with this.
Here’s everything (I can think of) Apple should do to improve AirPods Pro with AirPods Pro 2.
AirPods Pro 2 need lossless audio
While AirPods Pro have some of the best sound quality available when it comes to wireless earbuds, the sound quality can always be better.
Since the company launched AirPods Pro, they’ve also brought spatial sound with Dolby Atmos and lossless audio to Apple Music. While AirPods Pro were able to benefit from spatial audio enhancement, this was not the case with lossless audio. In fact, none of Apple’s headphones has been able to take advantage of lossless audio, including the $549 AirPods Max.
This has less to do with software and more to do with Bluetooth capabilities. However, Apple is rumored to be introducing new technology to its headphones that will allow at least some level of lossless audio quality with Apple Music and other services that support Hi-Fi audio.
This will open up a new level of sound quality, especially in a range of wireless earbuds. Of course, you never know how much of a difference it will make until you put your earbuds on and hit play, but as someone who’s worked with lossless audio in the past, I’m excited about the possibility.
AirPods Pro need more bass
While we all use our AirPods Pro to make video calls at work and chat with family and friends over a phone call or FaceTime, any pair of headphones can probably be used for listening to music or watching video.
Personally, I use my AirPods Pro most of the time when I exercise. Whether I’m doing some weight lifting at the gym, running, or enjoying a walk, I’ll probably put on my earphones and listen to some music that I hope will motivate me to move forward with my work. work out.
While the bass in the AirPods Pro isn’t terrible, it certainly isn’t good. Even Apple’s other headphone brand, Beats, has products like Beats Studio Buds that destroy AirPods in terms of bass levels. While I’m not saying AirPods have to be Beats, more bass goes a long way when you want it to.
More bass, at least for me, acquires a more emotional response to music. So, especially if I’m exercising, having that bass drop will push me more into my workout. Bring me the dress!
AirPods Pro 2 needs to fix these connection issues
Damn, that’s the worst part about AirPods Pro right now. I can’t tell you how many times my AirPods Pro have panicked and don’t know what to call. Whether it’s simply answering a phone call or trying to enjoy Apple’s constant switching between devices, this is an area that needs major improvement.
It’s really funny to think that the worst part of AirPods Pro is… actually using them. But this is where we are now.
The biggest culprit for this is when I need to switch sound from my iPhone to my best Apple Watch when I’m working. I carry my iPhone with me when I’m at the gym, but when I switch to running, I just want my Apple Watch to be with me. The Apple Watch Series 7 is great, and just like many of the previous Apple Watches, you can get it with cellular support.
This is what I did so that when I run, I don’t need to have my phone on my shorts or stick to it for miles. The Apple Watch cellular while running gives you everything you need: workout tracking, music, podcasts, or audiobooks. Even better, you can stream it all for as long as your service app supports it, so you don’t need to mess around and make sure you’ve downloaded the last episode or song you visited right now.
However, almost every time I drop my phone at home and come back to start running with just my watch, my AirPods peel off. I don’t know if it’s switching down from iPhone to Apple Watch or from WiFi to cellular, but something in the chain of things that needs to happen here is broken. I usually spend the first few minutes running around playing with my watch and earphones to get things working.
It’s a relatively small inconvenience, but when you know it comes every morning when you plan to run, it’s pretty annoying. If Apple can fix this, I’d be glad. This will be a magical “it just works” moment.
There is so much that Apple can do
While these are the top three things I’d personally like to see from the AirPods Pro 2, there’s a lot more Apple can do, and it’s definitely rumored. From a new design, Find My capabilities in the charging case, USB-C, and health features, there are plenty of rumors about what could come with Apple’s second generation of professional earbuds.
Fortunately, there is probably less than a month left to find out! Apple is expected to hold its September event on September 7, and AirPods Pro 2 is rumored to be one of the products revealed.
If you don’t care too much about what AirPods 2 might bring and would rather pick a different pair now at a discount, check out our list of the cheapest AirPods for August 2022.