Apple releases videos for the new AirPods, its powerful new chips, and the new HomePod mini colors

As expected, Apple today introduced the third-generation AirPods. Among the new features, Spatial Audio places sound above, behind, or below the AirPods user. The new AirPods also have a shorter stem similar to the AirPods Pro and use a Force Touch sensor.

The new AirPods also deliver improved sound quality on FaceTime calls and you can sweat all over them thanks to the IPX4 rating that protects the device from sweat and splashes of water from any direction.

Despite the smaller charging case, users can now get up to 30 hours of listening time and when you're in a rush, a quick 5-minute charge will deliver as much as one hour of listening or talk time from the third-generation "earable." Priced at $179, pre-orders for the third-generation AirPods are being accepted today and will be received by customers in a week.

Apple released a 60-second commercial that doubles as a new product announcement titled "All-new AirPods with Spatial Audio." You can see right away that the stems have been cut down to size. The ad notes that the new AirPods are Remixed, Redesigned, with Spatial Audio, and Adaptive EQ runes music to your ears (thanks to inward-facing mics that monitor sound and helps to adjust the low and mid-range frequencies in real-time).

To the tune of "Blue Skies" by Lex Junior, we see AirPods wearers dancing in silhouette amid flashy and bright background colors mixed with shots of the product floating on a white background. The ad continues by bringing up the longer battery life and the IPX4 water protection. "Magic Remastered," says Apple.

Apple also released today a video showing artist-producer A.G. Cook performing his song called "Start Up" which he created using sounds that came from 45 years of Apple products. The devices he used in the song include iMac G3 Startup, MacBook Pro Startup, AirPods Case Closing, iOS Alert, HomePod Minimum Volume, iPod Click Wheel, Note Alert, Email Whoosh, MagSafe Charger, Night Owl Ringtone, HomePod Nope, HomePod PingPong, Mac 2020 Alert, Empty Trash, Message Sent, Message Received, HomePod Device Identify, iPhone Keyboard, Airdrop Invite, Mac Sosumi, and Apple Pay.

Sure, Apple is at the top of the TWS (True Wireless Stereo) industry thanks to the AirPods and AirPods Pro. But one product that the company has not been able to reign supreme over, even after using its Apple magic, is the smart speaker. The HomePod was expensive (forcing Apple to cut the price) and had some interesting features. But Amazon and Google have been battling out for supremacy in the states with Amazon usually in the top spot because of its first-mover advantage.

But the HomePod mini is priced to sell at $99 and has done much better than the full-sized unit. Today, Apple announced some new color options for the HomePod mini. Originally offered in White and Space Gray, Apple has released a clever 45-second video to demonstrate the new HomePod mini colors of Orange, Yellow, and Blue. The video uses catchy electronic dance music and shows the HomePod mini in its two original before the newer hues are included.

The HomePod mini in any color is 3.3-inches tall and it offers an outstanding music-listening experience, smart home capabilities, and of course, Siri. You can check out the new 45-second spot for the HomePod mini by clicking on the video below.

Earlier today we told you about the two new Apple Silicon chips that were announced today. The M1 Pro and the M1 Max have 33.7 billion and 57 billion transistors inside respectively. That compares with the 16 billion inside the M1. Apple had several app developers discuss how faster the new chips are, what they could do for their apps, and record it on video; the clip, titled Pro apps, pushed to the max, runs for over two minutes.