How to pre-order the new AirPods 3 today

By Noah McGraw Published April 21, 2022

AirPods 3. — Digital Trends

Apple announced the new AirPods 3 at the brand’s Apple ‘Unleashed’ event today. You can pre-order them right now and they will start shipping out by next week. Here’s how to get the newest AirPods model in your ears as soon as possible: Right now the only retailer offering the new AirPods 3 is the Apple Store itself. You can pre-order the AirPods straight from a physical Apple Store or through the Apple Store app. Other retailers will get their AirPods stock in on October 26, but unfortunately aren’t offering pre-orders. If you need the AirPods right now, the Apple Store is your best bet.

The new AirPods will cost $179. In line with their role as an upgrade to the main line of AirPods, they are more expensive than the AirPods 2, which still have a baseline cost of $129, but cheaper than AirPods Pro, which will stay at $249.

The AirPods 3 are a total redesign from the AirPods 2. They have a slightly thinner, more ergonomic design, and don’t have silicon tips like the AirPods Pro. They do give the AirPods Pro a run for their money in terms of features — the AirPods 3 have the same pinch controls Adaptive EQ as the AirPods Pro.

The new Dolby Atmos Music, tech that tracks your head movement and adjusts spatial audio to match, is now available in the baseline Airpods. The AirPods Pro had this tech already. This brings an incredibly immersive audio experience to users who don’t want to pay $249 for their earbuds. Dolby Atmos tech will pair perfectly with 4K movies on an iPhone or Apple TV.

AirPods 3 offer an average of six hours listening time on one charge. With the wireless charging case, you can charge AirPods 3 four full times before you need to plug the case in again. That’s 30 full hours of listening if you have the charging case. In a pinch, five minutes of plugged-in charging will get you an hour of listening time. The new wireless case now supports MagSafe wireless charging.

You can pre-order the new AirPods 3 at Apple right now, or wait until October 26 and pre-order from your favorite retailer like Best Buy, Walmart, or Amazon. Check out the Apple link below.

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Section Editor, Commerce

Noah is Digital Trend's Commerce Section Editor. His focus is on deals writing, and he has four years of experience searching…

Mobile

How to pre-order the Apple Watch Series 7

Apple Watch Series 7 blood oxygen levels data.

The Apple Watch Series 7, which was among the new lineup of products Apple announced in September, is available for pre-order. If you’re thinking about buying a new Apple Watch Series 7, you can do so starting today, October 8. Here’s what you need to know.
What’s new?
The Apple Watch Series 7 features a few subtle design changes. Compared to the Series 6 (which you can get a great deal on now), the Retina screen is 20% larger and the bezel is thinner. All the extra space can display 50% more text and even a full keyboard. The aluminum cases are available in five colors: Midnight, starlight, Product Red, blue, and a dark hunter green. Apple also rounded the corners of the new model and created watch faces to match.

The design changes don’t just make the watch more attractive. Apple also made the screen more durable, with a thicker, crack-resistant cover. With an IPX6 rating, the Apple Watch Series 7 model can withstand exposure to dust, sand, and water.
How much does the Apple Watch Series 7 cost?
The base model starts at $399 for a 4.1mm display with GPS, but the Apple Watch Series 7 is available in multiple configurations. There are two sizes, and each size has a GPS-enabled model and a more expensive cellular-equipped counterpart. Here’s the breakdown of prices:

Audio / Video

Your iPhone can now guide you to your lost AirPods Pro

AirPods Pro resting on an iPhone with open charging case nearby.

There's good news for folks who routinely misplace their AirPods: Thanks to iOS 15 and a firmware update that started rolling out on October 6, your iPhone can guide you to within a foot or so of your missing true wireless buds. The new capability is baked into Apple's Find My app and works with the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, but not Apple's regular AirPods.

In the past, if you wanted to locate your missing AirPods, your iPhone could certainly point you to their last known location, and even provide directions on a map. But when it came time to actually locating that errant earbud, all you could do was trigger the "play sound" feature and hope that they weren't buried so deeply in between the couch cushions that you wouldn't be able to hear them. Now, the Find My app can give you a radar-like interface that actually guides you toward your headphones using a three-level proximity indicator.

Mobile

Pre-ordering the iPhone 13 today? Here are some tips and tricks you should know

iPhone 13 mini case feature image.

If you’re planning to upgrade to a new Apple iPhone 13 model, there are a few things you should know before pre-orders begin at 8 a.m. ET on Friday, September 17. Aside from being ready to trade in your old device, there are a few ways to make sure you get a new phone tomorrow while also landing the best deal.
Preregister for the pre-order
This year, Apple is letting all customers choose their iPhone 13 model and select a payment method. When pre-orders officially begin, the orders can be finished with one click, says Apple.

The Apple Store is worth a look because it features several carrier trade-ins offers in one place. Comparing trade-in deals on the carriers’ websites can be a little slow, but the Apple store has a drop-down list that delivers straightforward prices. Any clauses, like specific data packages or installment plans, are clearly laid out as well.
Should you sell your old iPhone?
We advise against it. While it's true iPhones retain their value better than most electronics, if you didn't sell your old iPhone several months ago, the value has dropped because everyone is trying to sell right now. And don't forget that online selling sites like eBay, Swappa, and Gazelle will take a cut of your sales. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist also rely more on user trust to make sure you're not getting scammed and have fewer protections in place. In most cases, one of the carrier trade-in deals below will give you better value for your old iPhone.
Carrier offers
These deals will require you to choose specific data packages, usually the carrier’s unlimited data plan. If your phone is free with an installment plan, you’ll have to pay for the device if you need to switch carriers. This may not be a problem unless you move often, but you should be aware that free devices tie you to the carrier just as much as a contract would.
AT&T
AT&T is offering either the iPhone 13 Mini 128GB or the iPhone 13 Pro 128GB for free, depending on which device you’re trading in. Older models can be traded for the more affordable iPhone 13 Mini, while more recent models and flagship devices from competitors can be traded for the premium iPhone 13 Pro.