Refresh
There have been lots of rumors that Apple might add a touch-sensitive panel or display to the AirPods case in the future, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it.
I think less is more with earbuds, but if any company in the world can innovate an earbuds charging case then it’s Apple. The patents hint at a future where you can change song, adjust volume, and see cover art from your AirPods screen. It could be really cool, I guess.
TechRadar’s Editor At Large, Lance Ulanoff just wrote about the brand new AirPods hearing aid ad, which he says is “an emotional gut-punch to the heart.”
You can read about it here, but if you’re going to watch it on YouTube, I’ve heard you might need to get the tissues ready. I’m going to hold off until I’m comfy at home later, wrapped up in a warm blanket just in case.
If you’re in the UK you can buy AirPods Pro 2 for £179 and get three months of Apple Music too at John Lewis. That’s an excellent deal, considering £179 is the lowest price we’ve seen this Black Friday at major retailers, and you get access to Apple Music’s huge library of songs.
I prefer Spotify, just because it’s what I’m used to, but Apple Music is an excellent streaming service that unlocks AirPods’ Spatial Audio features, making your favorite songs even more immersive.
Black Friday deals can change slightly throughout the day as online retailers fight to one up each other with discounts that are dollars or even cents better than their rivals.
That’s true for some of the deals above, which have been updated to their latest price at the time of posting!
It means the deals are better than they were earlier in the day, maybe not by a lot but it adds up, so if you hold off on your Black Friday purchase you’ll get a slightly improved deal over people who shopped several hours ago.
It’s worth noting that if you buy AirPods directly from Apple you can engrave the case with anything you want, from your name to your favorite emoji. It’s a pretty cool addition, and it’s at no extra cost.
Apple has a Black Friday offer at the moment, which gives you a gift card with any eligible purchase. You’ll get a $75 gift card with AirPods Max, a $50 gift card with AirPods Pro 2, and $25 with AirPods 4.
Remember when AirPods first launched and everyone mocked them for looking like toothbrushes for your ears? Those days are long gone, most people don’t even bat an eye lid when you wear AirPods in public, nowadays.
You’re more likely to have someone notice a wire, than an earbud, and that’s a funny development considering just how much of a meme AirPods were back in the day.
If you’re still on the fence because of the way they look, just know the new AirPods models have way shorter stems which makes them more discrete than ever before.
Remember to check if the AirPods deal you purchase has a Lightning port or charges via USB-C. I still own Lightning AirPods Pro 2, and they are the last product in my home not to charge with USB-C.
Don’t make the same mistake as me, it’s incredibly annoying trying to find a Lightning cable every few weeks when I need to charge my earbuds I just want USB-C all the things, maybe I’ll buy a USB-C AirPods Pro 2 charging case this Black Friday…
What’s your favorite AirPods feature? I love the ability to easily move between audio on multiple Apple devices. It’s a feature that you take for granted until you no longer have access, and wonder how you ever lived without it.
As a MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch, and iPhone user, my AirPods make using the Apple ecosystem that little bit easier, and that’s all I want from my tech. If you’ve never tried the seamless integration between all devices, you’ll love it once you finally do.
Did you know AirPods Pro 2 can now work as a clinical-grade hearing aid? Apple updated the earbuds to coincide with the launch of iOS 18, and now you can actually use your AirPods to help with hard of hearing.
With the new update you can even use AirPods for a hearing test to check how healthy your ears are. Features availability depend on your region, so double check before purchasing a pair of Pros for this specific purpose.
If you want ANC but don’t like in-ear headphones then the AirPods 4 with ANC might be the right earbuds for you. They have the exact same form factor and sound quality as the regular AirPods 4 but you can zone out the world around you thanks to noise canceling.
In our review, we said noise cancelation was very good for the price, and audio playback is rich and clear. You can grab the AirPods 4 with ANC for £161 in the UK at Amazon. In the US, you can find them for $164.99 at Amazon, a small but welcome discount
I’ve owned AirPods since the first pair launched in 2017, and while they may not have the best audio on the market, they’re somewhat magical in the way they just work.
Nowadays, AirPods have loads of competitors like Sony’s WF-1000XM5, but even then there’s something about Apple’s earbuds that just makes them stand out above the crowd.
AirPods were a major innovation from Apple, and to this day are the best earbuds to use with Apple products.
How about headphones? Well, AirPods Max are an interesting choice. Apple updated them earlier this year, but it was hardly an update really. A USB-C port, and… not much else.
Apple did add new colors so if you’re a big fan of that Lavender Haze then the purple version might be up your street.
I’ve never liked the AirPods Max, they’re just too heavy on my head, but the sound is excellent and they have the seamless connectivity you want from Apple headphones.
If you do opt for the AirPods 4 deal from above, be sure to clean them often. My days at the Genius Bar still haunt me to this day, cleaning ear wax out of dirty earbuds and trying to not breathe in the odor.
Does that sound gross? That’s because it is. So if you’re likely to forget to give them a regular clean, maybe the AirPods Pro 2 with silicone tips is a better purchasing decision.
Or you could buy…
I used to work at the Apple Genius Bar, so I’ve tested all of the best AirPods, and know all the insider tips.
While the AirPods Pro 2 are my favorite model, the brand-new AirPods 4 have a small discount this Black Friday, saving you $10 in the US at Amazon, and around £10 at Amazon UK.
That might not sound like much, but if you’re looking for a simple set of Apple earbuds that get the job done, the AirPods 4 is the model to choose.
Let’s start with this ridiculously low price for Apple’s best earbuds. Right now you can grab AirPods Pro 2 at Amazon for $153.99 (was $249), a crazy good price for the USB-C model.
If you’re in the UK, you can also snag AirPods Pro 2 for £179 (was £229) at Amazon, and trust me, they’re well worth the price.
I absolutely love the AirPods Pro 2’s Transparency mode, it allows me to be present while still listening to music, perfect for evening dog walks.
AirPods always rank among the most popular Black Friday purchases, and it’s easy to see why – they tend to get record-low prices, and it’s not like Apple has been known for big discounts in the past, though that’s really changed in the last few years.
Welcome to our AirPods Black Friday round-up! I’m going to be updating this page throughout the day with deals, as well as tips and advice on making the most of AirPods.