New Apple AirPods 2: 10 frequently asked questions and answers

1. What's the difference between $159 AirPods and $199 AirPods?

The main difference between the $159 AirPods and $199 AirPods lies in the charging case. The $159 AirPods is equipped with normal charging case, while the $199 AirPods is equipped with wireless charging case. In addition, new wireless charging case is also sold separately for $79, and it is also compatible with the AirPods 1.     

The main body of the two charging case editions is the same, but the wireless charging case supports both Lightning cable charging and Qi wireless charging, while the normal charging case only support Lightning cable charging.

Personally speaking, the $159 AirPods is enough for your daily use, while the $199 AirPods will bring you more convenience thanks to the wireless charging.    

2. What are the main upgrades of the new AirPods 2?

In terms of first looks, the indicator light of the new AirPods 2 is put outside the charging case. Besides, there are also some improvements on the AirPods:

● The new AirPods 2 runs on the upgraded H1 chip, while the old AirPods is equipped with the W1 chip.

● Better sound quality

● Faster connection speed and lower latency of gaming  

● Support the voice assistant command - "Hey Siri"

●​ Longer battery life: the new AirPods 2 enable to deliver up to 3 hours of talk time, while the old AirPods can only give you up to 2 hours of talk time.   

Among the 5 upgrades mentioned above, the H1 chip is a key upgrade.  

3. What's the difference between the H1 chip and W2 chip?

The H1 chip is a better chip combined the wireless technology and highly customized audio architecture. It offers faster connection speed, lower latency and better audio experience. BrianRoemmele said that the processing ability of the H1 chip is close to the iPhone.

4. Are there any upgrades on the operation of the AirPods 2?

Yes. The new Apple AirPods 2 support voice assistant control. You can say "Hey Siri" to summon the voice assistant, and it can also help you make calls or adjust the sound volume.

5. How about the connection speed of the AirPods 2?

"Take out your headphones and put them on". Actually, the first generation is good enough. The second generation is faster, but you may not feel it. If the perception is obvious, the switching speed between devices is obviously faster. It used to take about 5 seconds to switch from the iPhone to the Mac, but now it takes 1-2 seconds.

6. How about the sound quality of the AirPods 2?

AirPods of the previous generation achieved a level or even better than iPhone's Earpod; compared with the previous generation, the main feeling of the AirPods 2 is that the sound field is bigger. It's like changing from a small concert hall to a big concert hall.

In addition, the new AirPods supports Bluetooth 5 class 1 standard. Compared with Bluetooth 4.0, the new AirPods has larger bandwidth, longer distance and lower power consumption.

7. Does the new AirPods 2 have longer battery life?

Yes. The old AirPods can serve you 4 hours of music time, while the new AirPods 2 can serve you up to 5 hours of music time.

Speaking of battery life, in fact, the last generation has enough time to last. In daily life, it is very rare to keep earphones on for 4 hours without interruption. As long as you take off the headphones and let the ears and earphones rest, it can continue to listen to 3 hours of music or make 2 hours of phone calls for 15 minutes in the charging box, so the battery life is not a problem at all. You can never worry about the power.

8. Is the new AirPods wireless charging case a must-have accessory?

Of course not. The wireless charging case brings you much convenience for charging, but it is not a must-have accessory. If you don't have enough budget, you can also buy the new AirPods 2 with normal charging case.    

9. Does the new AirPods 2 request the latest iOS 12.2 system?

Yes. But you can also use it if your iPhone system is not the latest. However, you can use the "Hey Siri" to achieve some voice control functions if you don't upgrade your iPhone system to the latest.

10. Is the new AirPods 2 waterproof?

No. Apple didn't officially mention about the waterproof function of the both AirPods 1 and AirPods 2.