Apple AirPods Pro (second-gen) review: improved ANC, sound quality, and clarity, but same old design, a Lightning connector, and no major new software features
the same, but also way better Andrew O'Hara / AppleInsider : Apple Watch Ultra is impressive, but can't replace my dive watch just yet Mashable : The new AirPods Pro look old but sound fresh Joe Rossignol / MacRumors : AirPods Pro 2 Reviews: Sound Quality, Noise Cancellation, and Battery Life Tested Sofia Pitt / CNBC : Apple's new AirPods Pro are worth the $249 even if you already own the older version David Phelan / Forbes : Apple AirPods Pro (2022) Review: Familiar Look, Outstanding Sound Max Chafkin / Bloomberg : A look at the quiet success of AirPods, of which Apple sold an estimated ~120M pairs in 2021, showing how big a business its upcoming niche VR headset could be Tweets: Chris Welch / @chriswelch : Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro have excellent active noise cancellation. Is it better than ____? Google Pixel Buds Pro ✅ Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro ✅ Beats Fit Pro ✅ Sony WF-1000XM4 🟨 (very close) Bose QC Earbuds II ❌ https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/... Jordi Bruin / @jordibruin : Reviewers complaining about “Same old design” without explaining why another design would be better except for being different 🤢 I love that the new AirPods look and work the same. @mydealsecrets : Lost in the discussion of AirPods Pro 2nd generation is that Apple's charging case still has a bafflingly bad LED: It lights up for a few seconds, then goes dark and stays that way unless you intervene. It doesn't indicate that charging is active or complete. WHY?! Chris Welch / @chriswelch : The new AirPods Pro have substantially better noise cancellation, more refined sound, and onboard volume controls. That's enough to make them a huge hit — even as competitors are catching up. https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/... Chris Welch / @chriswelch : A few people have asked if the original AirPods Pro are compatible with the new case. There's no way to buy it individually, but either way, the answer seems to be no. They fit in the case fine, but iOS gets very confused about what's happening and reports earbud battery as 0%. Nic Nguyen / @nicnguyen : 🆕 my airpods pro 2nd gen review improvements all around. my fave is that Find My *finally* works properly when you lose your case. but if you have a current working pair of pros, don't rush to upgrade. https://www.wsj.com/... Scott Stein / @jetscott : Been a week or so and I still didn't realize AirPods Pro 2 charge w Apple Watch charger https://twitter.com/... Chris Welch / @chriswelch : With the QuietComfort Earbuds II, Bose has substantially overtaken Sony, Apple, Samsung, and others at noise cancellation. Will Apple measure up with the upcoming second-gen AirPods Pro? We'll see. https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/... Max Chafkin / @chafkin : On the other hand, and in a bunch of different ways, AirPods kind of...suck? https://twitter.com/... Kyle Russell / @kylebrussell : I mean those first two points are enough for me https://twitter.com/... Scott Stein / @jetscott : I've been test-wearing these new buds too, and agree w @DavidCarnoy - they're definitely improved. The biggest thing I appreciate so far is faster pairing/switching, and commuting with them yesterday blanketed the noise. His review: https://www.cnet.com/... Jason Cipriani / @mrcippy : I've been using Apple's new AirPods Pro for awhile now, and one thing is clear — my favorite wireless earbuds just got a whole lot better. Here's my full video review: https://www.youtube.com/... @cnet : Unboxing the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 🎧 https://twitter.com/... Dan Seifert / @dcseifert : great review of the new AirPods Pro from @chriswelch. they are improved over the first gen in meaningful ways, and that's probably all a lot of iPhone owners are looking for, but they aren't the pack leaders in sound quality or noise cancelation anymore https://www.theverge.com/... Joel Weber / @joelwebershow : NEW @BW COVER! The Sneaky Genius of Apple's AirPod Empire, by @chafkin https://www.bloomberg.com/... https://twitter.com/... Emily Nicolle / @emilyjnicolle : alt text for this @BW magazine cover: tim cook doing snow angels in all the airpods people have lost over the years https://www.bloomberg.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Context & Ripple Effects
Apple’s first AirPods Pro established effective noise cancellation alongside better sound and fit; the new model advances those same strengths rather than resetting the product formula. Meanwhile, Apple’s third-generation AirPods improved sound and added water resistance but omitted ANC, leaving the Pro line as the clearer noise-cancelling tier.
The reported upgrade therefore matters chiefly as refinement of Apple’s premium earbuds: better listening and call-related fundamentals, with the familiar hardware and charging approach retained.
First-order effects
- Apple gives prospective and existing AirPods Pro buyers stronger ANC, sound quality, and clarity without requiring them to adapt to a new design or software workflow.
- The unchanged Lightning connector and lack of major software additions limit the immediate practical reasons for owners of the prior Pro model to replace their earbuds.
Second-order effects
- Apple’s AirPods range becomes more explicitly segmented: the standard third-generation model’s lack of ANC leaves the improved Pro model as the upgrade path for buyers prioritizing isolation.
- Bose QC Earbuds II and Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro face a comparison centered on listening quality and noise cancellation, the two areas Apple is reported to have improved.
Third-order effects
- Across the original AirPods Pro and this generation, Apple’s premium-earbud strategy is trending toward recurring component-level gains in ANC and audio quality while preserving the product’s established design.
- If that pattern continues, feature separation within Apple’s own AirPods lineup—not major redesigns—will remain the mechanism for steering buyers toward higher-priced models.
The trend: Premium wireless earbuds are increasingly differentiated by iterative gains in noise cancellation and sound quality, while familiar industrial designs persist across generations.