The Apple AirPods are wireless headphones that were designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple from 2015 to 2016 as part of the Apple AirPods series. The first AirPods has been introduced on September 7, 2016, released on December 13, 2016, and its price started at $159.
The new AirPods feature new user interactions; for example, removing an AirPod from one’s ear causes playback to pause, and double-tapping them activates Siri. Apple incorporated its own custom-designed chip, the Apple W1 into AirPods, which helps optimize the battery use and Bluetooth connection.
AirPods contain a proprietary Apple W1 SoC processor which helps optimize battery use and processes the Bluetooth 4.2 connection as well as audio connection. The advanced connectivity functions of the W1 requires devices running iOS 10, macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, or later. They can also function as standard Bluetooth headphones when connected to any device that supports Bluetooth 4.0 or higher, including Windows laptops and Android devices.
There are two microphones in each AirPod, one at ear level, facing outward, and another at the bottom of the stem. Each AirPod weighs 0.14 oz (4 g), and its charging case weighs 1.34 oz (38 g). AirPods hold a charge of around five hours while charging them for fifteen minutes in the case gives three hours of listening time.
The charging case provides 24 hours of total usage. During a complete dismantling, each AirPod was found to contain a 93 milliwatt hour battery in its stem, while the charging case contains a 1.52-watt-hour or 398 mAh at 3.81 V battery.
These earphones has been discontinued on March 20, 2019, and have been replaced by AirPods 2nd Generation.
Today AirPods is 7 years old!
AirPods Release Date and Original Price
| Introduced | September 7, 2016 |
| Released | December 13, 2016 |
| Discontinued | March 20, 2019 |
| Model Identifier | AirPods1,1 |
| Model Number | A1602 (Charging Case) A1722 (Left AirPod) A1523 (Right AirPod) |
| EMC | 2862 (Charging Case) |
| Order Number | MMEF2AM/A |
| Original Price | $159 |
| Colors | White |
| Weight | 1.34 oz. – 38 Grams (Case) 0.14 oz. – 4 Grams (1 AirPod) |
| Dimensions | 1.74” H x 0.84” W x 2.11″ D (Case) 4.41 cm H x 2.13 cm W x 5.35 cm D (Case) 0.65” H x 0.71” W x 1.58″ D (1 AirPod) 1.65 cm H x 1.8 cm W x 4.01 cm D (1 AirPod) |
Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Apple W1 |
Sensors
| Sensors | Dual Optical sensors Motion-detecting accelerometer Speech-detecting accelerometer (Each AirPod) |
Connections
| Connection | 1 – Lightning port (Case) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 (AirPods) |
| Audio In | 2 – Microphones |
Software
| Original OS | 3.3.1 |
| System Requirements | iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models with iOS 10 or later Apple Watch models with watchOS 3 or later Mac models with macOS Sierra or later |
Power
| Battery | 1.52 W rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Case) 0.09 W rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Each AirPod) |
| Battery Capacity | 398 mAh (Case) |
| Battery Life | AirPods with Charging Case: More than 24 hours of listening time, up to 11 hours of talk time AirPods (single charge): Up to 5 hours of listening time, Up to 2 hours of talk time |
References:
Apple Support – AirPods (1st generation): Technical Specifications
