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What are Apple AirPods?
AirPods are wireless Bluetooth earbuds designed by the software company giant Apple Inc. They were first announced in September 2016 along with the announcement of the iPhone 7.
Since its release, AirPods became Apple’s best-selling accessory and were now sold along with two variants, the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. It was considered the first line of wireless headphones released by Apple and set the standard for other wireless headphones in the market.
Aside from its wireless capabilities, it was known for its high-quality audio, noise-canceling mics, and advanced sensors that instantly detect if the user is listening and will automatically pause and play music.
These AirPods are also contained inside a charging case. This innovation allows users to connect the headphones to their Apple devices with just one tap. It can be charged using a Lightning to USB cable or a wireless charging pad.
Connecting Airpods to Windows Laptops
We have a few articles that go in depth on how to connect your airpods to non-Apple laptops.
- How to Connect AirPods to HP Laptop
- How to Connect AirPods to Lenovo Laptop
- How to Connect AirPods to Dell Laptop
Other AirPods Articles
- Airpods Keep Cutting Out FIXED
- How to Find AirPods When Dead or Offline
- How to Fix Earbuds that Work on One Side
- Why Do My AirPods Die So Fast? FIXED
- How to Charge Airpods Without Case
- How to Connect AirPods to Samsung TV
- Airpods Connected But Sound Coming From Phone FIXED
- Why do my AirPods Sound Muffled?
History of Apple AirPods
First Concept
The Apple AirPods were an instant hit for many Apple users. But, its first concept is dated back to 2011.
It started as a patent by Jorge S. Fino, who is also listed on other patents related to touch interfaces and docking.
This patent was for EarPod-like earphones that can work wirelessly. He also indicated it as a “media apparatus that can be used with a host device that can be used during periods of physical activity.”
The patent was published in October 2012. He also coined this technology as “Detachable Wireless Listening Device”; this became the foundation of the AirPods that are known today.
Beats
Apple continuously worked on innovations related to music and headphone technologies. Three years after the patent, it bought the leading audio brand Beats.
The company was known to release its version of wireless headphones way back in 2012. Therefore there were rumblings of whether or not Apple will release a line of wireless headphones of its own.
Beats still grew to be a separate company that’s owned by Apple. Meanwhile, when Apple Music was released in 2015, Apple also began to file a trademark on the name AirPods—which was later on granted.
Headphone Jacks were Discontinued
At its event in 2016, Apple announced the removal of headphone jacks along with the launch of its latest iPhone 7. It was deemed to be a controversial move but was expected by others.
AirPods were also expected to be launched soon. However, it was a virtually unknown device back then, with many questions surrounding Apple’s choice of abandoning the old technology of wired headphones.
Apple AirPods are Released
Since its release in late 2016, the AirPods turned out to be Apple’s most popular product, with over 14 million units being sold a year after its release. They later on released two more generations of AirPods in subsequent years.
Its first generation contained W1 processors, which controlled the Bluetooth 4.2 connection and optimized battery use. It also had a Lightning port on the bottom of the case for charging.
The second generation of AirPods, known as the AirPods 2, featured a more efficient H1 processor, which added Siri functionality, longer battery life, and a faster device connection.
The third generation featured the same H1 chip but was now supported with Spatial Audio—Apple’s version of audio content encoded by Dolby Atmos.