Apple's Second-Gen AirPods Pro Get USB-C and Dust Resistance, But Is It Worth the Upgrade?

Apple has revealed its second-generation AirPods Pro with some intriguing upgrades. However, these changes beg the question: Is the new model a worthy upgrade for existing AirPods Pro users, or does it primarily cater to USB-C lovers?

What's New with Second Generation AirPods Pro

Apple made an expected announcement last week, revealing the second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case. As per Apple's press release, this is a departure from the previous Lightning port version.

Beyond the shift in charging port, Apple also incorporated dust resistance to these new AirPods Pro, in addition to their existing water resistance.

What came as another surprise was the announcement that these second-gen AirPods Pro would support lossless audio when paired with the upcoming Vision Pro headset next year.

This comes as excellent news, especially for second-generation AirPods Pro users who are in for a treat with the latest software additions accompanying iOS 17.

These include Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness. While we are still in the early stages of testing and acquainting with these features, it's evident that Apple has introduced some of the most noteworthy enhancements to AirPods in quite a while.

While these ideas aren't entirely original, with Sony and Samsung having offered similar features like "speak to chat" for years, The Verge reported that Apple's execution, as always, stands out from the rest.

Adaptive Audio

Adaptive audio takes center stage in the realm of music, ensuring you remain in tune with the world around you. Engadget reported that a dynamic tool that intelligently blends transparency mode and active noise cancellation (ANC) to suit your specific environment.

Apple has designed this feature to continually adapt the noise control settings throughout the day, ensuring optimal adjustments as you transition between various settings and surroundings.

The AirPods Pro, powered by the H2 chip, leverage a combination of computational audio and machine learning algorithms to differentiate between consistent and fleeting noise.

Additionally, the technology within the earbuds takes into consideration factors like your mobility, activity status, and whether you're engaged in music playback or a phone call when autonomously fine-tuning audio settings.

What's the Verdict?

By looking at all these information, it's evident that the addition of dust resistance offers a bit more peace of mind. However, unless you're an ardent USB-C enthusiast, there's little incentive to upgrade.

It's worth noting that Apple doesn't sell the USB-C case separately, and in terms of the user experience, these new AirPods Pro are virtually identical to the previous model.