AirPods 5 are rated IP57 for water and dust, like the Pro 3

IP57 puts a $129 pair of open-ear AirPods on the same water rating as the $249 Pro 3.

By iDeviceSep 9, 11:50 PM CTUpdated Sep 10, 1:00 AM CT3 min read

Ask about the AirPods 5

Does it have noise cancelling? Yes, it cancels noise.
What does it cost? It costs $129 to $149. That is the list price, before any subscription.
Does it work with my phone? It works fully with an iPhone and partly with Android. It pairs with Android, but the app and the iPhone-only features are not there.
Can it get wet (shower, pool, swimming)? Yes, it survives a shower and a soaking. Its rating is IP57. It holds up for thirty minutes at one metre. Swimming laps and diving need a different rating, and it does not carry one.
How long does the battery last? It runs 20 hours with the case and noise cancelling on. That is 4 hours of listening with noise cancelling on, and 5 hours, measured on listening anc on wireless case.
How heavy is it? It weighs 4.3g.
How does it connect? It connects over Bluetooth.
What chip is inside? It runs on H2.
Does it do spatial audio? Yes, it does spatial audio. It tracks your head, so the sound stays put when you turn.

Apple's AirPods 5 press release said the earbuds have improved dust, sweat and water resistance and attached no rating to the claim. The Mac Observer found the figure on Apple's tech specs page: IP57 for sweat, water and dust, listed beside the H2 chip, 4.3 gram earbuds and Bluetooth 5.3. Buyers had a direction and no number for a day.

IP57 is the same rating Apple gives the AirPods Pro 3, which costs $249 against $129 and $149 for the two AirPods 5 models. Both lines run the H2 chip and Bluetooth 5.3, and five minutes on the charger buys around an hour of playback either way. The extra money buys 8 hours of listening with noise cancellation instead of 4 or 5, a heart rate sensor, Hearing Test and hearing aid features, and MagSafe. The $149 AirPods 5 case charges over USB-C, an Apple Watch charger and Qi, and it doesn't take MagSafe. AirPods 5 ship on September 18.

Update, Sep 10, 1:00 AM CT: Both AirPods 5 models get Find My separation alerts, but only the $149 wireless charging case has a speaker to play a locating sound, per The Mac Observer.

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