December 2019 • Macworld 27using the external microphones. This helps your
own voice sound more natural, and allows you to
hear traffic on a busy street, for example. It’s an
important safety feature.
How do I control AirPods Pro?
There’s a new ‘force sensor’ on the stem that is
used to engage noise cancelling or transparency
mode, or play/pause and skip tracks. It’s like a
virtual button that doesn’t actually move. Press
once to play/pause tracks or answer phone calls.
Press twice to skip forward. Press three times to
skip back. Press-and-hold to toggle between noise
cancelling and transparency mode, or to invoke
Siri (you can switch its function in the Bluetooth
settings on your iPhone).
Can I use “Hey Siri” hands-free?
The AirPods Pro use the same H1 chip found in
the second-generation AirPods, PowerBeats Pro,
and Beats Solo Pro. You can invoke Siri by saying
“Hey Siri”.
How much do they cost?
The AirPods Pro cost £249. There’s only the one
model – no colours or options. Regular AirPods can
be bought with a regular Charging Case for £159
or with a Wireless Charging Case for £199. The
AirPods Pro only come with a Wireless Charging
Case – so in effect they cost £50 more than
the similarly-equipped AirPods. As with regular
AirPods, you can add a free engraved message.