Deals: AirPods 3 Drop to New Low Price of $139.99

I had to return mine and buy the 2nd gen because they kept falling out of my ears. Shame because they sounded really good. And I don’t expect Apple to ever update the original form-factor which means I’ll be out of luck in the future.

Same. Mine don’t really fall off if I’m just walking around or sitting. But if I lay down they easily came out at the slightest contact with anything. They certainly don’t fit as perfectly as the original design due to how bulbous they are now. I wish they would’ve just shortened the stem on the original ones instead. There was no need to mess with a longtime design that has proven to work for the vast majority of people other than for marketing purposes. Hopefully enough people submit feedback so they will consider updating the original design.

Sheesh, I guess I shouldn't have jumped the gun and bought at launch instead of waiting 7 weeks to save $40 out of $179.

That's a sweet deal so quickly after launch. I'll make sure I don't buy Airpods Pro 2 on launch with how quick airpods seem to go on sale.

What's the consensus on audio quality improvement over the prior generation (non-pro) AirPods? I haven't had a chance to test these out yet, but at this price point, I'm curious.

I have them. Better bass and wider soundstage, plus spatial audio support if you're into Dolby Atmos. A significant upgrade from the previous gen.

I agree completely.

I really hope they consider an "AirPods SE" update to the classic AP1/AP2 style.

This type of product is one that really can't have enough variations.
Peoples ears and preferences are all over the place, and many many options is a great thing.

Yeah, if they're smart (which they are) they'll keep this is an option too. As you said, this the one product that most benefits from coming in different sizes since it's the only one we have to fit into the human body.

I personally wish I would've been disciplined enough to return my AirPods 3 when I was within my return window and gotten a new set of AirPods 2 instead. Alas, the need for having - and showing off - the latest and greatest convinced me that the AirPods 3 are "good enough". I don't listen to music on them so any improvements on the acoustics are lost on me since I only use them for listening to podcasts or the occasional phone call.

I have owned AP1 and AP2 - loved them dearly. And my wife has APP so I have been able to give those a lot of test drives.

I can’t stand the Pros. As with all silicone tipped buds, I experience the skeleton-vibration phenomenon. Additionally, they are just plain uncomfortable in my ear. Lastly, noise cancellation has never appealed to me - I enjoy being aware of my surroundings.

So, I was disheartened when I saw the redesign for AP3. Why fiddle with such a great product?

Well, after seeing the Black Friday deal and discovering how much resale value my AP2 (mine over 2 years old) held, I decided to bite the bullet and try out the AP3. I could always return them and buy a new pair of AP2.

Well, I’m happy to report that I love the AP3’s! The fit is great, I haven’t had either fall out yet, nor experienced ear fatigue from wearing them for long periods. The bass is definitely improved. Battery life improved.

At first I thought the ‘squeeze’ was a downgrade from ‘tap’. But now that I’m used to it, I actually prefer it. Keep in mind that I don’t often run into situations where my hands are either very messy or so full that I can’t squeeze, but would be able to tap with a knuckle or what have you. I far, far more frequently need to pause when coming across a neighbor while walking the dogs. With the taps, sometimes I’d miss and have to tap again, which on several occasions wouldn’t register yet again, in which case I’m just yanking them out of my ear and haven’t been able to hear whole sentences spoken to me. I’ve never had a squeeze fail me.

I agree on silicone tips. Hate them. If I need a seal, I have other earbuds (actually, custom in-ear monitors. Different beast. Better than anything apple will ever sell because they’re for professional audio engineers/musicians and require an audiologist to make molds. For some folks, I can see the use case for APP, just not me.)

I see your points on the squeezing. Personally, I loathe squeezing. 99 times out of 100, I’m working with my hands when using AirPods (gardening, cooking, general choring), and tapping is my preference. I see your points, though, and perhaps the best solution would be to improve the tapping functionality in a future design. Or, give the option to toggle in settings between squeezing or tapping. Everybody wins. :)