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5 ways to get help with childcare costs

Childcare is eye-wateringly expensive, here are some ways to save money

Apple Airpods 3: Treat your ears to an upgrade with Apple’s clever 2021 design

Steve May
·2-min read
Everything you need to know about the new Apple Airpods. (Apple)
Everything you need to know about the new Apple Airpods. (Apple)

Yahoo Entertainment's editors are committed to independently selecting wonderful products at great prices for you. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

Third time’s clearly the charm for Apple, as it launches its latest, all-conquering AirPods.

With no shortage of headphones choice for music fans, Apple clearly wants to hold onto the top slot, and with these new buds has upped its game considerably.

For starters, the new 3rd generation AirPods, priced at £169, have a new slicker design.

The signature stem is shorter, and incorporates the force sensor touch control first seen on the AirPods Pro.

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Naturally, these new earbuds are also resistant to sweat and water. A nifty new skin-detect sensor is used to determine if you’re actually wearing your AirPods, pausing the music when they’re not.

Buyers can expect big gains in sound quality. These AirPods are closer to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max in overall performance, they use incomprehensibly complex computational audio and Adaptive EQ to make Ed Sheeran sound better..

Adaptive EQ, in case you were wondering, makes adjustments in real time based on how the AirPods are sitting in your ear. An inward-facing microphone monitors noise, so that Adaptive EQ processing can tune highs and lows.

The new Airpods are slicker than its predesessors. (Apple)
The new Airpods are slicker than its predesessors. (Apple)

The AirPods 3rd Gen also work with Spatial Audio - which I think is particularly exciting.

Apple has gone big on this new sound format, because it offers a far more immersive listening experience than regular stereo. Music recorded in Dolby Atmos, the 3D sound format used for movies and TV shows, surrounds you in sound, while something called Dynamic Head Tracking locks the soundstage in place, so that it re-orientates when you turn your head.

While Spatial Audio is at its best with Dolby Atmos Music, it actually works with stereo music sources too, it makes tunes just sound kinda bigger. Spatial Audio is a standard feature on Apple Music. You don’t have to pay extra for it.

These new AirPods also have greater stamina than their predecessor. Battery life is up to six hours, with 30 hours available in total if you add the juice stored in the charging case.

But for all this high-flautin’ technology, they’re refreshingly easy to use.

A one-touch setup routine means they’ll automatically pair with other Apple devices, while Audio Sharing means you can socialise your audio streams with AirPod, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max wearing friends.

That said, I’ve yet to find anybody that actually wants to share my Norwegian black metal playlists…

Shop now: 2021 Apple AirPods with MagSafe Charging Case | £169

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