It’s weird. You put them in and the world just… stops. Like, the crowd noise? Gone. The airplane hum? Gone. It feels almost unnatural (like maybe something broke in your ear), but then it’s so satisfying you don’t care. Apple says it’s new algorithms and foam under the silicone tips techy talk but who even cares how, because it works. And the hiss from the old version? Not here. Just clean, scary quiet.

Five sizes now. Not three. Five. About time, right? Because everyone’s ears are different (and some of us have very, very weird ears). The fit feels natural, like they’re shaped for actual humans this time. You stop noticing them after a while, which is the goal earbuds you forget are even there. Jogging, sitting, lying down on a plane seat, whatever. They stay in, they don’t stab your ear canal, and that’s all anyone really wanted.

Apple swapped in new drivers, new nozzles, new… something. The music feels wider now. Spatial Audio doesn’t feel like a gimmick anymore, it actually tricks your brain. Instruments don’t just play, they sit in space around you. Bass hits harder, highs are brighter, mids feel clearer. I mean, I’m not an audiophile (or maybe I am when I wear these?), but you can tell it’s better. Much better.

Yeah, they actually can. Live translation Spanish, French, German, English, more coming soon. You press, they listen, your phone processes, Siri whispers the translation in your ear. Not in the speaker’s voice, sure, but still. Imagine you’re at an airport, someone’s rattling off directions, and boom instant clarity. Is it perfect? Probably not. Is it cool? Absolutely.

Your earbuds now track your heart rate. Yep. Not your watch. Not a chest strap. The buds in your ears. They lock onto your pulse during a run, then feed the numbers into your iPhone. Steps, calories, distance the whole package. And since they’re sweat and water resistant (IP57, fancy way of saying “don’t worry about it”), you can take them to the gym or out in the rain and they’ll just keep going.
Battery life now stretches to 8 hours with ANC on that’s long flights, long days, no problem. The case shrank a little, easier to pocket. Find My got sharper, so losing them is less of a panic. And the price? Still $249. Apple didn’t raise it, which honestly feels shocking in 2025. Bose and Sony charge more, so for once Apple’s the “value” choice. Weird sentence, but true.