
Prime Day is finally here, and this is technically the Black Friday week of summer 2025, starting with Apple AirPods 4 + ANC. You can snag a pair for just $119 shipped today, originally $179. Based on millions of ear scans, the buds feature a shorter stem and a narrower profile, ensuring they stay secure without the ear-aching pressure of in-ear tips. For travelers who find silicone-tipped earbuds uncomfortable after hours of wear, this is a godsend. They’re IP68-rated for dust, sweat, and water resistance, so a spilled drink or rainy layover won’t spell disaster. Adaptive Audio mode blends ANC with Transparency, adjusting to your environment, so you can hear boarding calls without yanking out an earbud. Product page.

CT scans performed by Jon Bruner on an industrial machine show the inner workings of fake Apple AirPods and reveal why most of them sound so tinny. The main issue appears to be the companies making these knockoffs have never used a pair of AirPods, so they have nothing to base their sound off of, resulting in audio quality that sounds like something from the 1990s.

Modder Ken Pillonel from Switzerland knows that AirPods Pro cases eventually fail, so he wanted to make them easily user repairable. To do this, it took lots of 3D-printing and a few third party aftermarket parts, along with countless hours using modeling software to ensure that everything fit just right.

This limited edition line of Casetify x Evangelion iPhone and AirPods accessories, called ‘PROJECT CSTF: PROTECTION from IMPACT’, includes a case for the latter based on the EVA-01, which lets AirPods Pro owners insert their charging case into the back of the exoskeleton head. Other items include Apple Watch bands, iPad cases, a smartphone stand, and even a MagSafe charging cable.

Engineer Ken Pillonel has created the world’s first USB-C AirPods Pro using a custom PCB and can be installed without milling the case. This also means that you can replace the internal battery should it not hold charge or is damaged.

Photo credit: Zarruk Taiseer
Would it be possible to combine Apple AirPods Pro and iPhone into a single device? Most definitely if it looks anything like the iPro by industrial designer Zarruk Taiseer. Put simply, the AirPods Pro case itself would have a touchscreen on the front and a triple rear camera system in the rear.

Apple AirPods 2 with Lightning Charging Case are still a great alternative to the Pro if you don’t need ANC, and you can get one for $79 shipped, today only, originally $159. Unlike the first-gen model, this one has an H1 chip that delivers up to 50% more talk time and switching between devices is two times faster. Product page.

Apple AirPods Pro 2 are comparable to true wireless earbuds that cost twice as much, and you can get a pair for $199.99 shipped ahead of Black Friday, today only, originally $249. In addition to Active Noise Cancellation, you also get touch control for media playback and volume adjustments directly from the stem. Product page.

We may have to wait a bit longer for USB-C AirPods, but the second-generation AirPods Pro are now official. Aside from Apple’s new H2 chip, AirPods Pro includes improved Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes, while also a more immersive Personalized Spatial Audio feature. Touch control has been expanded for media playback and volume adjustments directly from the stem.
