Apple releases 2nd gen AirPods with Wireless Charging and “Hey Siri” support

Apple has just announced its new second generation AirPods. It still retains the same design but underneath, the wireless earbuds are more efficient and more convenient than before.

The new AirPods uses Apple’s new H1 chip which is designed to offer seamless connectivity and longer talk time while providing the same hands-free convenience of “Hey Siri”. The long-awaited wireless charging feature is finally available with the new Wireless Charging Case. This allows you to charge the case with any compatible Qi wireless charger.

For music playback, the new AirPods retain the same 5 hour listening time and the charging case can provide more than 24 hours of battery life. Similar to the previous AirPods, a quick 15-minute charge is enough to provide up to 3 hours of listening time.

If you’re using it for voice calls, the new H1 chip on the latest AirPods can provide up to 3 hours of talk time which Apple claims to be 50% longer than before. If you switch between devices often, the new AirPods is two times faster to connect than the previous model that uses the W1 chip. Another new improvement is the ability to change songs, make calls, adjust volume or getting direction via “Hey Siri”.

The new Apple AirPods with the wireless charging case is priced at RM879 and there’s also the option to purchase the new AirPods with a standard case without wireless charging for RM699. Both cases can be charged with a lightning cable.

The wireless charging case can be bought separately for RM439 and it’s compatible with the first gen AirPods. The new wireless case comes with an LED light so that you’ll know that it’s charging at a glance. The latest AirPods are already listed on Apple Malaysia’s website but you can’t order them at the moment.