WWDC 2023: Apple introduces Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, more for AirPods

WWDC 2023 was one of the most memorable events hosted by Apple, with the highlight being the launch of the much-awaited Vision Pro headset and the visionOS. It was preceded by the launch of M2 Ultra chipset and M2 Ultra powered Mac Studio and Mac Pro, and of course, iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma. Amid the slew of announcements Apple, also spared sometime for the humble AirPods sharing details about the new features that it will soon be available on the company’s truly wireless earbuds.

At its annual developers’ conference, the company announced a bunch of new features that will be available on first and second generation AirPods Pro, third generation AirPods, and AirPods Max later this year.

New features coming to AirPods in 2023

Here are all the new features coming to AirPods this year:

— Apple said that the second generation AirPods Pro will get a feature called Adaptive Audio. Adaptive Audio is essentially a new listening mode that dynamically blends Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation together based on the conditions of a user’s environment to deliver the best experience in the moment.

“This new listening mode will seamlessly tailor the noise control experience while users move between environments and interactions that are constantly changing throughout the day,” Apple said in a blog post today.

— The second generation AirPods Pro will get another feature dubbed as Personalized Volume, which will use machine learning (ML) to understand environmental conditions and listening preferences over time to automatically fine-tune the media experience.

— Additionally, the company said that the second generation AirPods will also get Conversation Awareness. Apple says ghat users can simply start speaking and Conversation Awareness will lower the volume and enhance the voices in front of the user, all while reducing background noise.

— Additionally, the company announced a feature called Automatic Switching that will make moving between Apple devices with AirPods easier. “Now, the connection time between a user’s Apple devices is significantly faster and more reliable, making it more seamless to move from a favorite podcast on iPhone to a work call on Mac,” the company added.

— Apple also said that the first and second generation AirPods Pro users, third generation AirPods users, and AirPods Max users will get an improved Call Mute or Unmute feature. When rolled out, users will be able to press the stem or the Digital Crown on AirPods Max to quickly mute or unmute themselves.

Availability

Apple said that these features will be available as firmware update in the fall this year.