DECEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 107While we’re at it, we should mention
that only the AirPods Pro support the
Conversation Boost accessibility feature
(fave.co/3EKKb8h).
SPATIAL AUDIO AND SOUND
QUALITY
All AirPods support Dolby Atmos spatial
audio in Apple Music. In fact, you can force
it on for any pair of headphones. But
spatial audio for video in the TV and in
other supported apps, with head tracking,
is not supported on the 2nd-generation
AirPods. You need the 3rd-generation or
the Pro to do that.
The 3rd-gen AirPods should have
better sound than the 2nd-gen in other
ways, too. Apple has a new redesigned
low-distortion driver that it says delivers
better sound quality, and they support
Adaptive EQ like the AirPods Pro. We’ll
have a more detailed comparison when
we review the 3rd-gen AirPods, but we
think the overall sound quality will take a
significant step up from the 2nd-gen, but
won’t sound quite as nice as the AirPods
Pro (especially in a noisy environment).FEATURES AND CONTROLS
You control the 2nd-gen AirPods by tapping
on them, while the 3rd-gen AirPods and
AirPods Pro have a little cutout area on the
stem that is sensitive to pressure. Squeeze
the stem (there’s a faux click sensation) to
play/pause, skip forward or back, or
summon Siri. All AirPods models support
hands-free “Hey Siri” control.
Both AirPods Pro and 3rd-gen AirPods
are water- and sweat-
resistant, and probably
better suited to working
out, though you
wouldn’t want to dunk
any of them in the pool.
The 2nd-gen AirPods
don’t have any water
resistance.
The 3rd-gen AirPods
and AirPods Pro also
support expanded Find
My support for tracking
down lost earbuds and
Both the 3rd-gen AirPods and the AirPods Pro support spatial audio. setting separation