If you’ve been keeping up with recent tech releases, you may have heard of Apple’s announcement of their new bluetooth earbuds, the Airpods Pro. Marketed as a step up from the AirPods, which were released a few years ago, the device itself looks different, but the hardware inside is practically the same.

     The new design for the AirPods Pro features an interchangeable rubber ear tip, with different sizes to fit all ear sizes. These tips were added to create a noise cancellation feature, having the rubber block out any external sounds.The earbuds themselves are also smaller, sleeker, and take up less space on the side of your face. However, the AirPods Pro are marketed as a huge step up from the original AirPods, but are they really?

     The design of the Pros may be new and different, but the only big change that Apple marketed is the inclusion of “transparency” mode, which allows the user to hear both their music and the outside world through the use of a microphone built into each bud. Other upgrades include minor improvements to the sound quality of the device, and the addition of water-resistance. The chip inside, the Apple H1, and the Bluetooth 5.0 has not changed at all. 

     Despite the relatively minor changes made to the AirPods Pro, Apple still managed to jack the prices of their new product up to $250, $50 or $100 more than its predecessor, depending on which generation you look at. Apple, known for pricing it’s products very high, seems to have done so with it’s new earbuds.

     Though many hail the new AirPods, with their sleek design and noise cancellation features, as a huge upgrade, the supposedly big changes really don’t change the device that much. Apple falsely flaunts the new design as a total overhaul of the device, as a way to encourage consumers to pay more money for their product.

     This hasn’t been the first time that Apple has charged more for products that don’t need high prices. The tech company faced backlash when their iPhone Xs starting price was over $1,000, and even more backlash when they released a high end computer monitor, with the stand sold separately for $1000. Hopefully, Apple will listen to consumers, and find a way to get their prices down without hurting their profits.