<s>
}}	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
 '	O
are	O
wireless	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
earbuds	O
designed	O
by	O
Apple	O
Inc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
first	O
announced	O
on	O
September	O
7	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
alongside	O
the	O
iPhone	B-Application
7	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
most	O
recent	O
model	O
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
(	O
3rd	O
generation	O
)	O
,	O
are	O
a	O
replacement	O
to	O
the	O
1st	O
and	O
2nd	O
generation	O
models	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
2nd	O
generation	O
is	O
still	O
sold	O
on	O
Apple	O
's	O
website	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
models	O
are	O
Apple	O
's	O
entry-level	O
wireless	B-Device
headphones	I-Device
,	O
sold	O
alongside	O
the	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
Pro	I-Operating_System
and	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
Max	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
playing	O
audio	O
,	O
the	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
contain	O
a	O
microphone	O
that	O
filters	O
out	O
background	O
noise	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
built-in	O
accelerometers	O
and	O
optical	O
sensors	O
capable	O
of	O
detecting	O
taps	O
and	O
pinches	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
March	O
20	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
Apple	O
released	O
the	O
second-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
feature	O
the	O
H1	O
chip	O
,	O
longer	O
talk	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
hands-free	O
"	O
Hey	B-Application
Siri	I-Application
"	O
support	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
26	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
Apple	O
released	O
the	O
third-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
feature	O
an	O
external	O
redesign	O
with	O
shorter	O
stems	O
similar	O
to	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
Pro	I-Operating_System
,	O
spatial	O
audio	O
,	O
IPX4	O
water	O
resistance	O
,	O
longer	O
battery	O
life	O
,	O
and	O
MagSafe	B-Application
charging	O
capability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
announced	O
the	O
first	O
generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
on	O
September	O
7	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
at	O
an	O
Apple	O
Special	O
Event	O
alongside	O
the	O
iPhone	B-Application
7	I-Application
and	O
Apple	B-Device
Watch	I-Device
Series	O
2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
originally	O
planned	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
in	O
late	O
October	O
,	O
but	O
delayed	O
the	O
release	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
13	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
Apple	O
began	O
taking	O
online	O
orders	O
for	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
AirPods	B-Operating_System
contain	O
a	O
proprietary	O
Apple	O
W1	O
SoC	B-Architecture
processor	O
which	O
helps	O
optimize	O
battery	O
use	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
4.2	O
and	O
audio	O
connections	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
advanced	O
connectivity	O
functions	O
of	O
the	O
W1	O
requires	O
devices	O
running	O
iOS	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
,	O
macOS	B-Operating_System
Sierra	I-Operating_System
,	O
watchOS	B-Device
3	O
,	O
or	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
can	O
also	O
function	O
as	O
standard	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
headphones	B-Device
when	O
connected	O
to	O
any	O
device	O
that	O
supports	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
4.0	O
or	O
higher	O
,	O
including	O
Windows	B-Application
laptops	O
and	O
Android	B-Application
devices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
two	O
microphones	O
inside	O
each	O
AirPod	B-Operating_System
,	O
one	O
facing	O
outward	O
at	O
ear	O
level	O
and	O
another	O
at	O
the	O
bottom	O
of	O
the	O
stem	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
AirPod	B-Operating_System
weighs	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
charging	O
case	O
weighs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
capable	O
of	O
holding	O
a	O
charge	O
of	O
around	O
five	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
a	O
complete	O
dismantling	O
,	O
each	O
AirPod	B-Operating_System
was	O
found	O
to	O
contain	O
a	O
93	O
milliwatt	O
hour	O
battery	O
in	O
its	O
stem	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
charging	O
case	O
contains	O
a	O
1.52	O
watt	O
hour	O
or	O
398	O
mAh	O
at	O
3.81	O
V	O
battery	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
model	O
numbers	O
for	O
the	O
first-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
A1523	O
and	O
A1722	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
of	O
the	O
first-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
was	O
discontinued	O
on	O
March	O
20	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
second	O
generation	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
announced	O
the	O
second	O
generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
on	O
March	O
20	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
include	O
an	O
H1	O
processor	O
which	O
supports	O
hands-free	O
"	O
Hey	B-Application
Siri	I-Application
"	O
,	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
5	O
connectivity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
Announce	O
Messages	O
with	O
Siri	B-Application
”	O
feature	O
was	O
added	O
in	O
iOS	B-Operating_System
13.2	I-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
allows	O
the	O
user	O
to	O
dictate	O
text	O
messages	O
to	O
Siri	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Second-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
can	O
be	O
purchased	O
with	O
the	O
same	O
charging	O
case	O
as	O
the	O
first	O
generation	O
,	O
or	O
for	O
an	O
additional	O
price	O
bundled	O
with	O
the	O
Wireless	O
Charging	O
Case	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
Qi	O
chargers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Wireless	O
Charging	O
Case	O
can	O
be	O
purchased	O
separately	O
and	O
is	O
compatible	O
with	O
first-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
moves	O
the	O
charging	O
indicator	O
LED	O
to	O
the	O
exterior	O
of	O
the	O
case.AirPods	O
,	O
the	O
world	O
’s	O
most	O
popular	O
wireless	B-Device
headphones	I-Device
,	O
are	O
getting	O
even	O
better	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Wireless	O
Charging	O
Case	O
was	O
initially	O
announced	O
in	O
September	O
2017	O
alongside	O
the	O
AirPower	B-Algorithm
charging	O
mat	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
delayed	O
by	O
AirPower	B-Algorithm
's	O
protracted	O
development	O
and	O
eventual	O
cancellation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
remained	O
on	O
sale	O
with	O
a	O
price	O
cut	O
following	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
third	O
generation	O
in	O
October	O
2021	O
,	O
but	O
are	O
now	O
only	O
available	O
with	O
the	O
lightning	B-Architecture
charging	O
case	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
model	O
numbers	O
for	O
the	O
second-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
A2032	O
and	O
A2031	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
announced	O
the	O
third	O
generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
on	O
October	O
18	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
feature	O
an	O
external	O
redesign	O
with	O
shorter	O
stems	O
similar	O
to	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
Pro	I-Operating_System
and	O
use	O
similar	O
force	O
touch	O
controls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
include	O
support	O
for	O
spatial	O
audio	O
and	O
Dolby	O
Atmos	O
,	O
IPX4	O
water	O
resistance	O
,	O
skin	O
detection	O
and	O
a	O
case	O
supporting	O
MagSafe	B-Application
charging	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
claims	O
increased	O
battery	O
life	O
,	O
with	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
lasting	O
six	O
hours	O
and	O
the	O
charging	O
case	O
providing	O
up	O
to	O
30	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Preorders	O
of	O
the	O
third	O
generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
began	O
on	O
October	O
18	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
were	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
26	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
priced	O
at	O
$179	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
September	O
2022	O
,	O
Apple	O
released	O
a	O
$169	O
variant	O
with	O
a	O
charging	O
case	O
lacking	O
Qi	O
and	O
MagSafe	B-Application
charging	O
compatibility	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
model	O
numbers	O
for	O
the	O
third-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
A2565	O
and	O
A2564	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
of	O
the	O
electronics	O
and	O
circuitry	O
responsible	O
for	O
the	O
audio	O
drivers	O
and	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
transmission	O
are	O
stored	O
entirely	O
within	O
the	O
head	O
of	O
the	O
AirPod	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
compatible	O
with	O
any	O
device	O
that	O
supports	O
Bluetooth	B-Protocol
4.0	O
or	O
higher	O
,	O
including	O
Android	B-Application
and	O
Windows	B-Application
devices	O
,	O
although	O
certain	O
features	O
such	O
as	O
automatic	O
switching	O
between	O
devices	O
are	O
only	O
available	O
on	O
Apple	O
devices	O
using	O
iCloud	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
fully	O
compatible	O
with	O
iPhone	B-Device
,	O
iPad	B-Device
,	O
and	O
iPod	B-Device
touch	I-Device
models	O
with	O
iOS	B-Operating_System
10	I-Operating_System
or	O
later	O
,	O
Apple	B-Device
Watch	I-Device
models	O
with	O
watchOS	B-Device
3	O
or	O
later	O
,	O
and	O
Mac	O
models	O
with	O
macOS	B-Operating_System
Sierra	I-Operating_System
or	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
fully	O
compatible	O
with	O
devices	O
running	O
iOS	B-Operating_System
12.2	I-Operating_System
or	O
later	O
,	O
macOS	B-Device
Mojave	I-Device
10.14.4	O
or	O
later	O
,	O
and	O
watchOS	B-Device
5.2	O
or	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third-generation	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
fully	O
compatible	O
with	O
devices	O
running	O
iOS	B-Operating_System
15.1	I-Operating_System
or	O
later	O
,	O
iPadOS	B-Operating_System
15.1	I-Operating_System
or	O
later	O
,	O
macOS	B-Device
Monterey	I-Device
12.0	O
or	O
later	O
,	O
and	O
watchOS	B-Device
8.1	O
or	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
lithium-ion	O
batteries	O
in	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
can	O
see	O
significant	O
degradation	O
over	O
time	O
,	O
with	O
two-year-old	O
sets	O
lasting	O
for	O
less	O
than	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
advertised	O
five	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
has	O
a	O
program	O
to	O
service	O
batteries	O
and	O
purchase	O
replacement	O
individual	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
and	O
charging	O
cases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
replacement	O
of	O
one	O
or	O
both	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
or	O
the	O
charging	O
case	O
has	O
a	O
lower	O
price	O
with	O
AppleCare+	O
than	O
without	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
this	O
is	O
just	O
a	O
replacement	O
service	O
,	O
as	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
batteries	O
cannot	O
be	O
removed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AirPods	B-Operating_System
contain	O
upgradeable	O
firmware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AirPods	B-Operating_System
automatically	O
sync	O
through	O
Apple	O
's	O
iCloud	B-Application
service	O
,	O
allowing	O
users	O
to	O
switch	O
audio	O
sources	O
to	O
other	O
supported	O
devices	O
connected	O
by	O
the	O
same	O
Apple	B-General_Concept
ID	I-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
Analysts	O
estimate	O
Apple	O
sold	O
between	O
14	O
million	O
and	O
16	O
million	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
in	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
were	O
Apple	O
's	O
most	O
popular	O
accessory	B-Operating_System
product	I-Operating_System
,	O
with	O
35	O
million	O
units	O
sold	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Analysts	O
estimate	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
make	O
up	O
60%	O
of	O
the	O
global	O
wireless	B-Device
headphone	I-Device
market	O
and	O
that	O
Apple	O
's	O
entire	O
Wearables	O
products	O
(	O
Apple	B-Device
Watch	I-Device
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
Pro	I-Operating_System
)	O
“	O
is	O
now	O
bigger	O
than	O
60%	O
of	O
the	O
companies	O
in	O
the	O
Fortune	O
500	O
”	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
estimated	O
5-7	O
%	O
of	O
Apple	O
's	O
revenue	O
from	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
comes	O
from	O
replacement	O
earbuds	O
and	O
cases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
announcement	O
day	O
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
were	O
compared	O
to	O
Apple	O
's	O
previously	O
existing	O
EarPods	B-Operating_System
(	O
2012	O
–	O
present	O
)	O
,	O
with	O
The	O
Verge	O
noting	O
"	O
They	O
look	O
...	O
just	O
like	O
the	O
old	O
EarPods	B-Operating_System
,	O
with	O
the	O
wires	O
cut	O
off.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
mocked	O
by	O
many	O
for	O
their	O
unfamiliar	O
design	O
(	O
including	O
CNN	B-Architecture
asking	O
"	O
Would	O
people	O
actually	O
wear	O
these	O
?	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
an	O
Apple	O
earnings	O
call	O
in	O
2019	O
,	O
CEO	O
Tim	O
Cook	O
called	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
"	O
nothing	O
less	O
than	O
a	O
cultural	O
phenomenon	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AirPods	B-Operating_System
had	O
become	O
a	O
viral	O
sensation	O
with	O
memes	O
circulating	O
across	O
the	O
internet	O
about	O
its	O
appearance	O
and	O
its	O
relation	O
to	O
the	O
removal	O
of	O
the	O
headphone	B-Device
jack	O
in	O
iPhones	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
as	O
time	O
wore	O
on	O
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
became	O
known	O
as	O
a	O
status	O
symbol	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AirPods	B-Operating_System
have	O
been	O
criticized	O
for	O
their	O
high	O
price	O
;	O
however	O
,	O
at	O
launch	O
they	O
were	O
actually	O
priced	O
less	O
than	O
most	O
"	O
true	B-Device
wireless	I-Device
"	O
earbuds	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
(	O
e.g.	O
</s>
<s>
the	O
Samsung	B-Application
Gear	O
IconX	O
and	O
Bragi	O
Dash	O
)	O
and	O
remain	O
competitively	O
priced	O
with	O
similar	O
products	O
from	O
other	O
major	O
brands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
can	O
easily	O
be	O
worn	O
for	O
long	O
periods	O
of	O
time	O
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
have	O
also	O
had	O
an	O
effect	O
on	O
how	O
people	O
interact	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Having	O
earphones	O
in	O
is	O
generally	O
perceived	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
do	O
not	O
disturb	O
"	O
signal	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
users	O
use	O
this	O
fact	O
to	O
strategically	O
avoid	O
awkward	O
small	O
talk	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
But	O
in	O
the	O
collaborative	O
workplace	O
,	O
constant	O
use	O
of	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
has	O
sometimes	O
been	O
interpreted	O
as	O
a	O
sign	O
of	O
disrespect	O
to	O
fellow	O
co-workers	O
,	O
causing	O
conflict	O
in	O
the	O
office	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
prominent	O
criticism	O
was	O
a	O
problem	O
that	O
caused	O
the	O
charging	O
case	O
battery	O
to	O
deplete	O
at	O
a	O
rapid	O
rate	O
despite	O
the	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
not	O
being	O
used	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
response	O
,	O
Apple	O
released	O
a	O
firmware	O
update	O
(	O
version	O
3.5.1	O
)	O
for	O
the	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
addressed	O
connectivity	O
and	O
battery	O
drain	O
problems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Students	O
and	O
college	O
professors	O
from	O
the	O
George	O
Washington	O
University	O
have	O
commented	O
that	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
have	O
decreased	O
students	O
 '	O
daily	O
social	O
interactions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
the	O
Financial	O
Times''	O
,	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
are	O
difficult	O
if	O
not	O
impossible	O
to	O
recycle	O
,	O
and	O
not	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
repairable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2022	O
,	O
researchers	O
at	O
the	O
Taipei	O
Veterans	O
General	O
Hospital	O
in	O
Taiwan	O
compared	O
the	O
performance	O
of	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
2	I-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
original	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
Pro	I-Operating_System
using	O
Live	O
Listen	O
on	O
an	O
iPhone	B-Device
or	O
iPad	B-Device
to	O
compare	O
to	O
medical	O
hearing	O
aids	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
Apple	O
's	O
biggest	O
competitors	O
is	O
Samsung	B-Application
,	O
which	O
markets	O
wireless	B-Device
earbuds	I-Device
that	O
are	O
very	O
similar	O
to	O
AirPods	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
similar	O
product	O
line	O
is	O
from	O
Apple	O
's	O
Beats	O
Electronics	O
,	O
which	O
sells	O
products	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Powerbeats	O
Pro	O
wireless	B-Device
earbuds	I-Device
.	O
</s>
