AirPods are the simplest and most innovative product I’ve used in years. Features like switching the audio to mono when wearing one earbud make the AirPods a joy to use. Everything just works, no thinking required. Many an article has been written about AirPods, Apple’s wireless earbuds, but how do they work with Android?
Design
Minimal branding, rounded edges, one port; the AirPods are quintessentially Apple. Both AirPods and case are housed in white plastic, reminiscent of the original MacBook. Each earbud weighs in at 4 g (0.14 oz), and the case weighs 38 g (1.34 oz). Apple’s exercise in weight-reduction means that you forget you’re wearing the AirPods the moment you put them in.
I’ve owned my AirPods for about two months, and already the case is getting dinged up – the smooth plastic means it slides easily out of your pockets. Personally, I’m not too concerned with the durability; the case may get cosmetic damage, but it does a good job of protecting the earbuds. Friends that know me are well aware of my propensity to fidget with anything in arms reach – the AirPods case has now become my new fidget item. The lid mechanism is immensely satisfying to open and close, and is easily operable with one hand. *SNAP*.
One downside of Apple’s earbud design is that it doesn’t fit everyone’s ears. Your ears can even differ in size; the AirPods fit perfectly in my right ear, but not so in my left. This results in diminished sound isolation and bass response. It doesn’t bother me enough to stop using them, but I do have to adjust the right earbud sometimes. I have had some slight discomfort when wearing the AirPods for 8+ hours a day, but neither of these issues are bad enough to stop me using them.
Sound Quality
First, let me say that I do care about sound quality. My daily headphones are the Sennheiser HD600s and I have a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 2s. However, sound quality while on-the-go is not critical to me, the listening environment is rarely perfect, and my mind isn’t focused on the music.
The way I’d describe the AirPods sound quality is “fine”. Not good, definitely not terrible, just ok. Decent bass response if they fit your ears correctly, mediocre mids and tolerable treble. To my ears, they sound better than the standard EarPods. If you’re looking for the best sound quality, you should definitely look elsewhere, and at something wired (I’ve heard that Campfire Audio’s Andromedas are the end-game IEM). For daily music and podcast listening, the AirPods suffice and compensate with their other features.
One important note, the AirPods provide minimal noise isolation. If you have a noisy commute or loud work environment, look into IEMs – they provide a superior seal inside your ear.
Connectivity
Apple’s W1 chip is the centrepiece of the AirPods. Its near-instant sync with iOS devices is second-to-none. Unfortunately, that W1 chip doesn’t have instant pairing with Android devices, so Bluetooth connection is like any other Bluetooth device – slow and finicky.
During my use, I’ve had barely any audio drops or stutters. The range on the AirPods is impressive, I can be several rooms away from my phone and still receive a signal. Also, because the AirPods are so light, the only time I remember that I’m wearing them is when I walk out of Bluetooth range.
The only port on the AirPods case is a Lightning port, used exclusively for charging. I’m still dreaming about Apple going all in on USB-C. A second revision case with USB-C or wireless charging would be a welcome upgrade.
Battery Life
The AirPods ingenious charging method means that you only have to think about charging the case. Apple claims 5 hours listening time, which I’ve found to be fairly accurate. I use these all day at work, and if I pop them on charge when I have lunch, they easily last the whole day. The case also has enough juice to re-charge the AirPods several times over, which means you rarely have to worry about the battery running out.
Here comes another frustrating downside of using the AirPods on Android: there is no indication of the battery life remaining in either the AirPods or case. Apps do exist, however, the one I tried was only accurate to ±5%, and it required constant location access, which, being a privacy conscious person, I wasn’t willing to grant. The indicator LED in the case does give you a rough idea; green for fully charged and orange for anything less.
Features
These are the major differences between AirPods with iOS and Android; there is no voice assistant integration or battery life indicator, the audio doesn’t stop playing when one earbud is removed, and pairing is slow. One feature that is retained is double-tap to pause. I love this feature and use it constantly throughout the day. If someone needs to talk to me, double-tap. If the surroundings suddenly become too noisy to hear the music, double-tap. iOS allows you to customise this double-tap command to activate a variety of different functions (activate Siri, Play/Pause, Next Track, Previous Track, and Off). Even allowing different functions between the left and right AirPods.
Convenience is king when it comes to the AirPods. Apple has crammed heaps of features that make the AirPods integrate instantly and seamlessly with your daily life. I love being able to pop the AirPods in for short amounts of time and quickly resume podcast playback. “Air” is an excellent way to describe them; you don’t even notice they are there, they just work.
One final feature is when one AirPod is returned to the charging case, the audio track will switch to mono. This is particularly nice when it comes to music, as songs often have an instrument in a single stereo channel.
Summary
So, should you get AirPods despite using an Android phone? If you’re willing to trade sound isolation and quality for convenience, then the AirPods are for you. Unfortunately, you have to stomach the cost: $159 USD ($270 NZD), however, you can occasionally get these on special; so I’d wait it out if you can. I bought my AirPods intending to try them out and sell them if I didn’t love them. Well, I’m writing this review a month or so later, and the AirPods aren’t going anywhere.
Issues with Android:
- No way to tell how much charge the AirPods have
- Slower to connect due to lack of integration with the W1 chip
- No pause when taking one earbud out
Pros:
- Lightweight. I don’t even notice these in my ear
- Convenience. Pop them out of the case, and wait a couple of seconds for them to connect
Cons:
- Fit. They fit my right ear perfectly, but not so for my left. Results in diminished bass response
- Price. $159 USD is steep for earbuds of this sound quality
Daniel Southworth 
