Wireless earbuds have become the hassle-free way to listen to your music privately.
While many companies have made wireless earbuds, none have been as popular as Apple’s AirPods.
These earbuds have become a massive hit for multiple demographics, from grade school and college students to business people.
How Long Does AirPods Last?
According to Apple, AirPods Pro will last 4.5 hours if you are only listening and 3.5 hours if you’re talking with them on a single charge.
You will know when your AirPods’ battery is at 10% when you hear a chime.
The chime will go off again right before your AirPods Pro die.
Your AirPods are able to charge in their case if your AirPod case has multiple charges.
With your fully charged case, your AirPods Pro can listen for 24 hours, and you can talk through them for 18 hours.
You will receive notifications on your phone when they are at 20%, 10%, and 5% battery.
It only takes your AirPods Pro five minutes of charging to get an hour’s worth of listening or talking time.
While the second-generation AirPods also last 24 hours of listening time and 18 hours of talking time, their other statistics are different from the AirPods Pro.
In a single charge for your AirPods, you can get five hours of listening and three hours of talking.
Second-generation AirPods take 15 minutes charging in order to get three hours of listening time and two hours of talking time.
If you want to check the status of your batteries before they reach the last 20%, you can hold your case with your AirPods close to your phone and a small tab will open up from the bottom of your phone screen.
You can also check your battery status in the Batteries widget of your phone.
You can optimize your battery and its lifespan while limiting the amount of wear done to them by having the Optimized Battery Charging activated on your phone.
Optimized Battery Charging is turned on automatically when getting a new phone or installing the iOS or iPad iOS 14.2 update.
How Long Does AirPods Last Before Breaking?
AirPods are expensive, so you’d think that they’d last you a long time.
AirPods, both the second generation and Pro, will work for about two years before you see a decline in quality.
Almost every retailer that carries them will charge about $120 for them.
AirPods come with a one-year warranty from Apple, so if they begin to break beforehand, there is something you can do about it.
The main problem that ends up killing most people’s AirPods is the declining battery life.
Every object with a rechargeable battery will suffer from the same problem.
It is especially common in smartphones.
AirPods just seem to decline at a much faster rate.
Every rechargeable battery can only be recharged so many times.
Not even Apple expected their AirPods to have a long useful life.
They did this so when the new version of their AirPods comes out, you feel more inclined to buy them, or to simply buy new ones.
Although Apple’s products are made with the latest technology, they aren’t meant to last.
The more strain you put on your AirPods, the less time they’ll work for.
Heavy tasks like talking over your AirPods or have your noise-canceling feature turned on place more wear on your earbuds.
Commonly, one earbud will die or begin to weaken before the other.
Whatever AirPod you take calls from will most likely be the first to die.
The only time this isn’t true is when the AirPods receive external damage.
If you’re someone who uses your AirPods to take calls, you may find that your AirPods will die out sooner.
Users who only use their AirPods for listening will have them lasting much longer.
With that triple-digit price tag, you will want them to last as long as possible.
How To Make Your AirPods Last Longer
There are few tips that you can use to extend the life of your AirPods.
While there is no way to stop the damage from occurring, there are things you can do to limit the amount of damage done in a singular use.
You will want to keep your AirPods in their case as much as possible.
Each time your battery drains, it is unable to charge to the same level as before.
By preventing them from completely draining their charge, you are drastically increasing their useful life.
Keeping your AirPods in their case also keeps them safer from external damage.
AirPods are small and delicate.
Dropping them or stepping on them can destroy them immediately.
As tempting and satisfying as it is to open and close your AirPods’ magnetic case, this is activating their Bluetooth capability and eating away slowly at their battery.
It is best to only open your AirPod case when you know you’re going to use your AirPods.
AirPods are extremely sensitive to weather.
Damage can occur if your AirPods get too hot or too cold.
You also have to worry about water damage when it is raining or snowing.
Even constant exposure to a climate that is too humid is enough to make AirPods weaker.
You will also want to disable any unnecessary smart features, such as Automatic Ear Detection, Noise Cancellation, and the Transparency modes.
Go through the list of features that your AirPods have and disable any of the features that you don’t use.
The louder your AirPods are, the more battery you’re using.
High volumes are harmful to your AirPods and your ears.
You may always be able to get a new pair of AirPods, but you can never get back your hearing after you’ve lost it.
What To Do If Your AirPods Break
You have three solutions for getting your AirPods fixed.
You can take your AirPods into your local Apple store, mail them in for repairs, or simply contact Apple Support via their website.
Whichever way you choose, you are going to need to prepare a couple of things.
For those who plan to take their damaged AirPods into the Apple store, you will also need to bring your AirPods’ serial number and the original box or proof of purchase, such as a receipt.
You will also need to bring your charging case.
You can also mail in your AirPods with one of Apple’s prepaid shipping boxes.
There will be additional steps for this process that come in a letter from Apple.
Be sure to include your charging case because if your AirPods are having problems, it means your charging case is sure to follow.
If you aren’t sure what you should do about your AirPods or if you wonder if they’re even broken, you can contact Apple Support.
You will need your AirPods serial number, which can be found on the underside of your charging case’s lid.
Those who are lucky enough to have their AirPods break within a year will have all their battery problems fixed for free, thanks to Apple’s one-year warranty on the AirPods.
Should your AirPods break or the battery die after your warranty has ended, you will have to pay for repairs.
Even if you have AppleCare+ on your products, you still have to pay for the damage.
Each damaged product will cost $29 to replace.
The prices for repairing damaged products without a warranty ranges from $59 to $89.
If both AirPods are broken, Apple charges $69 to $89 per earbud repair.
It is vastly less expensive to have their batteries replaced.
It costs $49 for a battery replacement in each earbud and the charging case.
AirPods Versus AirPods Pro
Those who are looking to get a pair of AirPods or replace old ones may consider the two different types of AirPods.
While AirPods Pro is the more advanced version of AirPods and has more features, are they really worth the higher price tag and higher repair fees?
AirPods are the cheaper option out of the two, totaling about $120 unless you get them directly from the Apple store, which totals $159.
You can get the wireless charging case version for $199.
Buying AirPods Pro from retailers such as Target or Wal-Mart will cost you $199.
They cost $249 if you buy them directly from Apple.
Typically, buying directly from the distributor is a less expensive option, but Apple seems to be an odd case in this regard.
Unlike AirPods, AirPods Pro has active noise cancellation and an isolated noise canceling design.
AirPods Pro can also last longer on a single charge.
They also come with wireless charging without having to pay extra for it, as you do with the AirPods.
Consumers also claim that AirPods Pro has better sound and fits better into their ears.
While AirPods are one solid piece of firm plastic, AirPods Pro has rubber tips that fit tightly into the ear.
AirPods also let in more outside noise.
However, if you are focused on making your AirPods last as long as possible, you may want to go with the normal AirPods.
The additional features that the AirPods Pro have are what also lead AirPods to break faster.
People on a budget may want to lean towards choosing the original AirPods.
If both products only have a useful life of two years, you’re essentially paying $60 to $100 per year on these headphones.
The Problem With Wireless Earbuds
When you scroll through the reviews of many different wireless earbuds, you may find common complaints among consumers.
Whether you are buying your wireless earbuds from Apple, Sony, or even Beats, there hasn’t been a company that has been able to master this latest innovation in audio technology.
One of the most common complaints among all wireless earbuds is that they have incredibly short battery lives.
While Apple is doing a lot better on that front than most other companies, but their flaw is in how much their batteries can be recharged before needing to be replaced.
Another common problem is the fit of the earbuds.
Earbuds with rubber or foam parts that go inside the ears are more secure and let in less noise than earbuds that are just one, solid plastic or metal.
It’s a fairly even split between rubber-ended earbuds and hard earbuds.
The last biggest problem is the price range.
While there are wireless earbuds available for under $100, they typically have sound quality or connection issues.
With the technology being so new now, as companies learn more efficient ways of making wireless earbuds, the price will decrease over time.
Earbuds that are truly wireless, meaning there isn’t a cord between the two earbuds, will cost a minimum of $120, which are Apple’s.
Most other truly wireless earbuds cost $200 or more, although they last longer before breaking.
Best Wireless Earbuds
For consumers who are looking for wireless earbuds that have a longer useful life than Apple’s AirPods, there are many different options to choose from.
Although the price can sometimes be higher, they are worth the extra money spent on them, unlike the AirPods Pro.
If you were considering getting the AirPods Pro, then you’ll want to look at Sony’s WF-1000XM3 truly wireless headphones.
Similar to AirPods Pro, they have a microphone that can be used to talk to people over the phone.
They have similar noise-canceling technology and last for 24 hours on a single charge.
The Melomania 1+ truly wireless earbuds from Cambridge Audio have the second-longest charging time out of the bunch.
The charging case can keep your earbuds charged for up to 45 hours and can last for nine hours on a single charge.
These wireless earbuds cost $139.95, which is even less than Wireless Charging AirPods.
Sennheiser takes pride in the fact that they are more affordable than most technology companies.
Their CX 400BT truly wireless earbuds cost half of the price of wireless charging AirPods at only $99.95.
The area where these are lacking is charging time.
Their case can only charge for up to 20 hours, but they last seven hours on a single charge.
One of the best wireless earbuds available is Lypertek’s Pureplay Z3.
You will be able to listen to music and talk for 10 hours on a singular charge.
Their charging case has enough power to charge the earbuds for 70 hours.
Similar to AirPods, these have voice control and Transparency modes.
They are also waterproof and lightweight, costing only $89.90.
Apple Is Not Your Only Option
Apple doesn’t have to be your only technology provider.
Apple is prone to making products that only last until their newest innovation comes out.
While it is interesting to see the special features that are shared between Apple products, solely buying from Apple can become expensive.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with other technology companies after doing your research and figuring out what is best for you.
Apple may make products that are easy to use, but they also make products that break just as easily.
By trying other company’s products, you may find that you’re spending less money to have all the same features as Apple products.
There’s no need to settle for short-term products.
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