I love the AirPods Pro 3, I really do. They're some of the best wireless earbuds that you can buy today, thanks to their comfortable fit, excellent sound and stellar noise canceling.
But I can't help but feel left wanting, occasionally, when I look at the competition. There are features out there that I feel would fit very well with the AirPods line, from a personalizable custom EQ to even more fitting options.
These features, found in the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, would make the AirPods Pro 3 even better. Let's dive in and see what Apple should be adding to its AirPods sack before it brings a new pair to store shelves.
Fitting wings
The most comfortable buds I've ever tried, hands down, are the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2. They're also the most secure, and I'd wager that is down to the extra-fitting wings and assorted silicon 'bud bit' that ensure they stay in your ears.
I have particularly large ears, so fitting wings are a boon anyway. But even then, they stop tight buds from pushing their way out, and loose ones from shaking away. They needn't be particularly invasive — see how subtle the wings are above — but I'd love to see some on the AirPods.
Even better, they could be removable. Given that the AirPods are sweat and dust-proof, making them even more runner-friendly would be a massive positive to notch on their impressive belt.
Is it likely? Probably not. But we can always dream of AirPods that fit even better.
Customizable EQ
There is some customizability built into the AirPods line, thanks to pre-sets that change the sound, but there's no way to change the sound profile more granularly. Compare that to the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM5, which you can tune to your heart's content with a comprehensive EQ section, and the AirPods come up wanting.
I'm not asking for much — just a few channels of adjustment. I'd like to be able to dial in the sound more to my taste, instead of relying on the sound engineers at Apple. They're very good, but you can't please absolutely everbody.
That would make the AirPods an even more compelling option in my eyes, allowing for more customizability.
All the features available on Android
This is about as likely to happen as the second great flood, but a girl can wish. The AirPods line, if you use an iPhone and other Apple devices, are as fully featured as they come. If, however, you happen to also use a Windows laptop, or an Android tablet, many of the features won't work.
They'll connect, and they'll play music, but you'll lose most of their most useful features. Hearing test won't work, the EQ presets can't be changed, and some of the touch controls might get a bit... funky.
I know that the Apple walled garden strengthens those that live within it — but one step outside of those glassy walls brings the restriction into stark daylight. Android customers make up swathes of the smartphone-buying public. There's a fresh customer base right there Apple, and some of them might want to buy some AirPods.
Why not open those gates?
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