AirPods (3rd gen) (2021)

AirPods 3 shortened the stems and added head-tracked spatial audio while retaining an open shape without active noise cancellation.

Specs

Launch and context

Apple announced it on October 18, 2021, opening orders that day with stores from October 26. US pricing was $179 including a MagSafe case. A Lightning-only case option at $169 appeared in September 2022; it was neither the original package nor a fourth generation. [a3-launch, p2-launch]

How Apple presented it

H1, Adaptive EQ and a redesigned acoustic system accompanied stem-based force controls. Skin detection helped distinguish an ear from other surfaces for pausing. Apple advertised up to 6 hours of listening and 30 with the case; spatial content and other conditions could reduce these. Earbuds and case were IPX4 for sweat and splashes, not submersion. MagSafe, Qi and Lightning charged the original case. [a3-launch, a3-spec, a3-review]

Documented issues

The Verge praised fuller sound and better retention in the reviewer's ears, which cannot establish a universal fit. The rigid shells had no interchangeable tips and let in considerable ambient noise. There was no active noise cancellation despite the resemblance to AirPods Pro. Skin detection was not a medical sensor. Seal and size restrictions are design limits, not documented faults throughout the series; IPX4 resistance is not permanent either. [a3-review, a3-spec]

Sources

• a3-launch · , Introducing next generation AirPods, October18 2021 · https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/10/introducing-the-next-generation-of-airpods/
• a3-review · , AirPods third-gen review, October25 2021 · https://www.theverge.com/22744686/apple-airpods-third-gen-review
• a3-spec · , AirPods3 technical specs · https://support.apple.com/en-us/111863
• p2-launch · , Next generation AirPods Pro, September7 2022 · https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/09/apple-announces-the-next-generation-of-airpods-pro/

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