Coming in third for the biggest “Unleashed” announcement would have to be the third-generation of AirPods. Not a huge surprise here (thanks again, spoilers), though they are an impressive pair of noisemakers, inching up on a lot of performance formerly reserved for AirPods Pro. The new units feature adaptive EG, support for Spatial Audio, dynamic head-tracking, and Dolby Atmos.
Near as I can figure, about the only things that separate them from their Pro cousins are contours, active noice cancellation, and price. Though redesigned, the the AirPods “3” are single plastic units - no silicone nib for a more snug fit. They do not offer active noise cancellation, and they do cost less. We’ll get to cost in a moment.
AirPods “3” do have a force sensor for controlling various functions. They are sweat and water resistant. They offer six-hours of listening time on a full charge, though - in a pinch - five-minutes of charging gives one one-hour of listening time. They come with a MagSafe, wireless charging case… and now we can get to the price. AirPods “3” will run buyers $179. The second-gen units are still available. Their price dropped to $129 on Monday. Of course, AirPods Pro are still out there, coming in at $249. And the AirPods Max are still going over your ears for $549.
Orders for AirPods “3” started on Monday. They ship next week. As of this writing - ordering now would see units in your ears next Tuesday 26 October.