Apple AirPods Pro with Android phone: Good, bad and ugly
What's the story
With features like active noise cancellation, adaptive music equalizer, high-quality sound output, and great battery life, the Apple AirPods Pro is surely one of the best wireless earbuds you can buy today. But is it compatible with Android smartphones? The good news: Yes, it definitely works with Android. The bad news? You'll have to sacrifice some features. Here are more details.
The good stuff
Features that work fine with Android phones
The key highlights of AirPods Pro are Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode and they work nicely on Android too. However, to toggle between them, you'll have to use the physical Force Touch sensor (iPhone users can do it via Control Center as well). Moreover, other gestures for play, pause, skip work fine but they can't be customized.
The bad stuff
Features that don't work at all with Android phones
Since you'll be using an Android phone, you won't get access to Siri or any Siri-enabled feature. You also won't get iOS 13's audio sharing which lets you pair two different sets of AirPods and stream the same music/podcast. Finally, the new "Ear Tip Fit Test" which helps you find the best fit will also not work with Android phones.
Our verdict
So, should Android users buy AirPods Pro?
Surely, the AirPods Pro is a great pair of wireless earbuds but it isn't a perfect match for your Android phone. Hence, if you want AirPods just for the ANC feature, you can instead go for something more compatible and cheaper like Amazon's Echo buds. In India, the AirPods Pro will cost Rs. 24,900 and it is likely to become available starting mid-November.
Design
Meanwhile, here's recalling AirPods Pro
With the AirPods Pro, Apple has greatly improved the wearability by introducing an all-new design with swappable silicone ear-tips for a more secure in-ear fit. The company has also introduced a dedicated software feature that tests the quality of the seal and suggests the best ear-tip size. The IPX4-rated earbuds even gets a new vent system to equalize pressure within the ear canal.
Highlights
Active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and adaptive EQ
The AirPods Pro comes with active noise cancellation wherein the built-in microphones and some software trickery help to remove background noise. There is also a transparency mode that lets you listen to music while allowing ambient sound to pass through. Notably, both modes can be toggled using a Force Touch sensor. Apple is also boasting of an "Adaptive EQ" that automatically tunes music.