The premium AirPods 5 are the best open-ear earbuds Apple has made
Apple has launched the AirPods 5, which feature active noise cancellation and volume controls on the stem at a lower price point than previous models. The product line includes two versions, with the premium model offering wireless charging and additional features.
Why it matters
Apple is shifting its pricing strategy by offering more advanced features in non-Pro earbuds at a lower cost, potentially disrupting the mid-range audio market.
It’s almost a guarantee that the new version of a product will be, at best, the same price as the old one, and often (especially in the past couple years) more expensive. But that’s not what Apple did with the AirPods 5. The $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are $30 cheaper than the AirPods 4 with ANC they replace. They have slightly better active noise cancellation, and they’re the first non-Pro AirPods with volume controls on the stem. Apple has never made wireless earbuds that offer as much for so little, and they make the base AirPods 5, which are $20 cheaper but don’t have wireless charging or volume controls, pointless.
[Product: Apple AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case | https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0HJB76H2V/?th=1&tag=theverge02-20, https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-airpods/airpods-5/with-wireless-charging-case]
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