Apple® AirPods (1st Generation)

Apple's game-changing wireless headphones

This is an exciting time in the world of headphones, largely due to this particular pair — the Apple AirPods. Back when Apple dropped the traditional headphone jack from the iPhone®, they also dropped these state-of-the-art earbuds. You've no doubt noticed people wearing them. These in-ear headphones were the first completely wire-free earbuds we ever carried. 

There's no cord connecting the two ultra-light earbuds. Instead, they each fit independently and are both jam-packed with cutting-edge wireless technology. The headliner is Apple's new W1 chip. While the AirPods will play music wirelessly from any Bluetooth-enabled phone or music source, the W1 chip makes pairing up with Apple devices even more special. 

Steady, high-quality connection to your Apple gear

Easy and straightforward. That's the best way to describe the wireless pairing process between the AirPods and your Apple products (I tried it when I reviewed the Beats Solo3 headphones). A one-tap connection syncs up the earbuds to your iPhone, and then you're automatically paired to other devices on your iCloud account (like your Apple Watch®, iMac®, or iPad®). The W1 chip ensures a strong wireless connection and allows for higher-fidelity streaming.

The chip works with a super-powerful microphone for clear, seamless phone calls and Siri® voice commands. You can scroll through songs and answer calls by touch, or double-tap either AirPod to activate Siri. Just how smart are these earbuds? When you remove one — or both — music will stop playing, and it resumes as soon as you put them back in. 

A carrying case that recharges your earbuds

Thanks to the W1 chip's battery management, the tiny AirPods offer five hours of music listening on a full charge. Siri will keep you updated on your battery life. When you need to refuel, just click the AirPods into the included charging carrying case. The case is a little bigger than a matchbox, and can bank 24 hours of power to recharge your AirPods. Just 15 minutes inside the case gives your AirPods up to three hours of wireless use.