Apple's third-generation AirPods were unveiled at the company's "Unleashed" event in October, along with a new MacBook Pro line that includes additional ports and higher-end M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs. The $179 (£169, AU$279) AirPods 3 is positioned between the $129 second-generation AirPods, which will continue to be sold, and the $249 AirPods Pro. It has head tracking, sweat and water resistance, a MagSafe-compatible wireless charging case, and six-hour battery life, which outperforms previous iterations and the AirPods Pro.

However, $179 is still a lot of money for wireless headphones, and you can readily get headphones with equivalent functionality — frequently for less money — if you explore outside of Apple. While Apple's AirPods work flawlessly with Apple devices, if you're using your headphones on an iPhone and a non-Apple device like a Windows PC or a Nintendo Switch, you might want to look into other options. Other manufacturers may be able to provide you with more comprehensive support for such products.