Amazon has today introduced its second-generation Echo Buds with a 21 percent smaller design and enhanced active noise cancellation.
The second-generation Echo Buds introduce a white color option, and it is difficult to see past the clear design cues that Amazon has taken from the AirPods Pro's charging case, which looks almost exactly the same with an elongated design, a single centered LED, and a long groove to open the lid.
Much like the AirPods Pro, the Echo Buds now feature a vented design to reduce ear pressure. There are also other comfort improvements that have been made possible by reducing the size of each individual bud, such as a shortened in-ear tip and reduced external height for a more flush fit.
Noise cancellation is said to be twice as good as the previous model and the buds now feature an AirPods Pro-style sound passthrough mode. Sound quality has also been improved with extended dynamic range and increased bass and treble fidelity. The microphones are also improved for better call quality.
The second-gen Echo Buds are rated IPX4 for water and sweat resistance, and the earbuds can deliver five hours of listening with noise cancellation enabled, with two additional full charges in the case for a total of 15 hours. Like the original Echo Buds, the second-generation model comes with Alexa built-in.
The Echo Buds come with four sizes of oval-shaped ear tips and optional wing tips in two sizes for a more secure fit.
The second-generation Echo Buds are priced at $119.99 with the standard USB-C charging case, or $139.99 with the wireless charging case, undercutting the $249 price of AirPods Pro considerably. They will go on sale on May 13 and will be discounted for a limited time to $99.99 and $119.99.
Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released.
iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027.
Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season.
Note: MacRumors is...
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Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products.
Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Cyber Monday is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running....
Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer.
The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia.
Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production.
Apple supplier Foxconn has...
The updated specs of the M5 iPad Pro may point toward a major new feature for Apple's next-generation Studio Display expected in early 2026.
Apple's latest iPad Pro debuted last month and contains one display-related change that stands out: it can now drive external monitors at up to 120Hz with Adaptive Sync. The feature should deliver lower latency, smoother motion, and fewer visual...
What is the appeal of those gummy things inside the ear other than sealing external sound?
I hate them, they are so uncomfortable, that's why I think the basic AirPods are the best design and I hope they continue to exist.
Yes, they’re there for noise isolation so the cancelation performance is more effective. Better isolation also probably reduces the power consumption that would be required to cancel the added bypass noise leakage.
Don‘t like them? Don’t buy them. not complicated. The original design that you have to jam in your ear is more uncomfortable to me. The old design is actually painful
What is the appeal of those gummy things inside the ear other than sealing external sound?
I hate them, they are so uncomfortable, that's why I think the basic AirPods design is the best and I hope they continue to exist or any evolution do not have the silicone tips.
Realistically they are intended to seal your ears better which can improve sound quality and also decrease likelihood of the buds shifting around.
The AirPods are alright but for my own ears they can fall out if I move too much. The AirPod pros improve upon this but they also have tips
Man the same can be said about Apple copying other companies in tech trends, I would even argue it is the opposite: Apple is often the last one to arrive to the party on many things, copying/building on other companies' first attempts.
I agree they're often last to arrive to the table. But as soon as they do, every product that comes out after looks strikingly like Apple's design.
What is the appeal of those gummy things inside the ear other than sealing external sound?
I hate them, they are so uncomfortable, that's why I think the basic AirPods design is the best and I hope they continue to exist or any evolution do not have the silicone tips.
