Apple may not have announced new hardware at their annual WWDC keynote, but alongside the launch of iOS 15 the company did reveal a host of new quality-of-life upgrades for its range of AirPods wireless earbuds and headphones.
First up is Conversation Boost, which is designed to help people with mild hearing challenges engage in conversation. It leverages computational audio and beam-forming microphones to make it easier to hear by reducing ambient noise. Support for Spatial Audio is also coming to FaceTime in iOS 15. Apple says it will help to create a more natural and immersive experience when you are chatting with your friends and family.
Another new feature is integration with Apple's Find My. This uses Bluetooth to broadcast the AirPods/AirPods Pro/AirPods Max location by creating a chirping sound, even if they are inside their case, and allows you to find them if you're close by. But even If you have left them further away, the new Proximity View will show how close you are to your AirPods.
But to prevent you from misplacing your AirPods in the first place, iOS 15 will also have a new Separation Alert feature that tells you if you have left them behind. A very useful feature for those of us who are prone to misplacing either one or both wireless earbuds.
iOS 15 will also allow Siri to announce notifications to you, so no more having to dig out your phone to verify every buzz and ding alerts. This will integrate with the new notification control and customization settings within iOS 15.
Last but not least, and not quite in relation to the new iOS 15, the AirPods will finally gain support for Spatial Audio with tvOS and MacOS (for M1-powered Macs only) later this year, allowing you to enjoy a simulated Dolby Atmos surround sound experience without the need for a dedicated sound system - and also without disturbing the rest of the house (or the neighbours). With it, Spatial Audio will finally be available across all of Apple's OS ecosystems.
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