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Apple AirPods 1

AppleMusic earbuds

AirPods 1

Released 19 December 2016.5Press articlemacrumors.com/2016/12/19/airpods-launch-in-store-united-statesRead 5 October 2026Same-day report confirms December 19 actual US retail sales and customer deliveries. Australia and New Zealand began their Monday December 19 sales earlier by time zone. December 13 was the order opening, not actual retail. Last checked 10 October 2026.

Form factor
Semi-in-ear
ANC
No
Battery life
5h
With case
24h

61 of 166 fields known.

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At a glance

All specs

SourceCalculated

General

Series
AirPods1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Model numbers
A1523, A1722, A16022Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/109525Read 5 October 2026A1523 and A1722 are the 2016 first-generation earbuds. A1602 is the original Lightning case with its status light inside. The separately sold 2019 Qi-compatible A1938 case is excluded.18Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/information/ma1770_airpods-info.pdfRead 5 October 2026Original leaflet Mexico model list gives A1523, A1722 and A1602, matching original Quick Start Guide and current maker identification page.
GTIN / EAN
Not available
Announced
7 September 20163Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2016/09/apple-reinvents-the-wireless-headphones-with-airpodsRead 5 October 2026September 7, 2016 original announcement. Its planned late-October retail window was delayed and is not used as release_date.
Status
Discontinued19Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-pro-review-27106Read 7 October 2026AirPods earbud-model comparison table explicitly labels Apple AirPods (1st generation) discontinued in the Original price row.
Predecessor
Not available
Successor
Apple AirPods 222Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2019/03/airpods-the-worlds-most-popular-wireless-headphones-are-getting-even-betterRead 10 October 2026March 20, 2019 release names the new model the second generation of AirPods. The catalog slug apple-airpods-2 is that model. Original AirPods were discontinued when it launched.
Launch price (US)
$1594Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2016/12/apple-airpods-are-now-availableRead 5 October 2026Original December order-opening release states 159 USD for the earbuds with charging case. US price before local sales tax. December 13 orders preceded actual customer delivery and retail sales.
Launch price (EU)
Not available
Markets
US4Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2016/12/apple-airpods-are-now-availableRead 5 October 2026US reference package. Release also names other countries, but this record does not enumerate unreviewed regional packages.
Colours
White14Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-1st-generation-truly-wirelessRead 5 October 2026Exact review reference lists White AirPods (1st generation). Genuine photo comes from the exact Apple first-generation technical page.
Segment
Music3Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2016/09/apple-reinvents-the-wireless-headphones-with-airpodsRead 5 October 2026

Design

Form factor
Semi-in-ear14Reviewrtings.com/headphones/reviews/apple/airpods-1st-generation-truly-wirelessRead 5 October 2026Public exact-generation prose describes an open earbud fit and poor isolation. Catalog semi_in_ear means resting without a sealing tip. This is distinct from an electronic Transparency mode. Protected numeric lab results, hidden Bluetooth version and hidden battery measurements are omitted.
Bud shape
Stem15Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/apple-airpods-1Read 5 October 2026Original review describes the projecting stems. Its approximate 5-hour observation lacks a fixed volume, host, codec and firmware protocol, so no numeric measured runtime is stored.
Use one bud alone
Either bud1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 20267Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/dev57e5b7e58/webRead 5 October 2026Either earbud can act as microphone when used alone. This does not mean two buds can play from different sources.
RGB lighting
Not available

Drivers and sound

Drivers per bud
Not available
Driver type
Dynamic15Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/apple-airpods-1Read 5 October 2026Exact first-generation Technical Specifications explicitly gives dynamic transducer principle. Driver count, acoustic role and diameter are unstated. The optional drivers table is omitted because an uncounted row would derive an unsupported count of one.
Driver size
Not available
Drivers per bud
Not available
Diaphragm material
Not available
Frequency response
Not available
Impedance
Not available
Sensitivity
Not available
Sensitivity reference
Not available
Max sample rate
Not available
Max bit depth
Not available
Adaptive EQ
Not available
Personalised sound
Not available
Onboard EQ
Not available
Custom EQ bands
Not available
EQ presets
Not available
Volume limit
Not available

Spatial audio

Spatial audio
Not available
Head tracking
No11Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-sg/guide/airpods/dev00eb7e0a3/webRead 5 October 2026Current eligibility explicitly names AirPods 3 and later, Pro and Max. Original AirPods 1 is excluded. No personalized spatial-audio profile inferred.

Noise cancelling

Active noise cancelling
No16Reviewtime.com/4608030/apple-airpods-review-2016Read 5 October 2026Original December 20, 2016 review audio-quality section explicitly says these are not noise-cancelling headphones. Call noise filtering is separate from listening ANC. No subjective surrounding-noise statement converted into measured attenuation.
ANC type
Not available
ANC microphones in both earbuds
Not available
Adaptive ANC
Not available
ANC levels
Not available
ANC attenuation (claimed)
Not available
Transparency mode
Not available
Adjustable transparency
Not available
Automatic ANC and transparency blend
Not available
Conversation detection
Not available
Wind noise reduction
Not available

Measured

Frequency response notes (measured)
Not available
Bass amount (measured)
Not available
Treble amount (measured)
Not available
Deviation from target (measured)
Not available
Consistency between fittings (measured)
Not available
Harmonic distortion (measured)
Not available
Sound leakage (measured)
Not available
Noise isolation (measured)
Not available
Noise isolation, best (measured)
Not available
Passive isolation (measured)
Not available
Call quality notes (measured)
Not available
Mic low-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Mic high-frequency extension (measured)
Not available
Mic speech-to-noise ratio (measured)
Not available
Latency (measured)
Not available
Bluetooth latency, worst (measured)
Not available
2.4 GHz latency, worst (measured)
Not available
Latency in game mode (measured)
Not available
Battery life (measured)
ANCHours (h)
No3.5
Source19Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-pro-review-27106Read 7 October 2026Battery life (75dB SPL) row, exact first-generation column, explicitly 3.5 hours. Earbuds-only full-charge objective playback at 75 dB SPL. Rounded source value retained. Host, codec and firmware are unstated for this original result and remain unknown. ANC false is exact hardware absence. No later second-generation 4 h 7 min or Android 3 h 29 min result imported.
Longest tested use per charge
3.5h
Battery life with case (measured)
Not available
Full charge time (measured)
Not available
Weight per bud (measured)
Not available

Microphones and calls

Voice microphones in both earbuds
41Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026Sensors (each) explicitly gives two beamforming microphones per earbud. The overview assigns them to calls and Siri. Four physical call microphones across the pair, also four total. Speech-detecting accelerometers are separate sensors and are not proof of bone-conduction hardware.
All microphones in both earbuds
41Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Bone conduction voice sensor
Not available
Mic noise reduction
Not available
Call audio bandwidth
Not available
Mic mute control
Not available
Sidetone
Not available

Connectivity

Chip
W11Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Connections
Bluetooth6Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1769_airpods-quickstart.pdfRead 5 October 2026
Bluetooth
4.219Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-pro-review-27106Read 7 October 2026Bluetooth row, exact Apple AirPods (1st generation) column, explicitly Bluetooth 4.2. Maker technical page states Bluetooth without version. Not H1 / 5.0 from AirPods 2.
Bluetooth codecs
SBC, AAC19Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-pro-review-27106Read 7 October 2026Bluetooth row in exact first-generation column explicitly SBC and AAC. Not inferred from maker AAC test files.
Bluetooth profiles
Not available
LE Audio
Not available
Auracast
Not available
Multipoint
No20Reviewsoundguys.com/apple-airpods-pro-vs-airpods-2nd-generation-27213Read 7 October 2026FAQ Do the AirPods connect to multiple devices explicitly says none of the Apple AirPods support Bluetooth multipoint. Applies to original family, distinct from paired-account setup and later automatic routing. No concurrent-source count inferred.
Multipoint devices
Not available
Multipoint with LDAC
Not available
Paired devices remembered
Not available
Automatic switching between own devices
No8Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/108786Read 5 October 2026Maker explicitly restricts automatic switching to AirPods 2 and later and AirPods Pro. Original W1 account setup and manual host selection do not qualify.
Fast pairing
Apple one-tap setup6Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1769_airpods-quickstart.pdfRead 5 October 2026Page 4 opens case near unlocked iPhone with iOS 10 or later and follows the onscreen connection prompt. Page 6 requires selecting AirPods in Control Center or the macOS menu. That account setup is separate from automatic audio routing.
Audio sharing
Yes9Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/aside/iph9b2d76d2f/27/web/27Read 5 October 2026Current complete maker compatibility list explicitly includes all AirPods models. Compatible iPhone or iPad and another supported pair required. This shares one source to two pairs, not generic multipoint.
Wireless range (claimed)
Not available
Wireless receiver
Not available
Receiver connector
Not available
Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth audio
Not available

Latency

We could not find any of these 3 fields. Show them
Low latency mode
Not available
Claimed latency
Not available
Lowest claimed latency
Not available

Compatibility

Platforms
iOS, macOS, Android8Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/108786Read 5 October 2026
Connection per platform
PlatformConnectionMicrophone works
iOSBluetoothNot available
macOSBluetoothNot available
AndroidBluetoothYes
Source8Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/108786Read 5 October 2026Mac and Android setup sections read. Non-Apple Bluetooth headset support explicitly permits listening and talking. Siri and Apple account features do not operate on Android. No console route inferred.
Features that need a specific device
FeatureNeeds
Apple account setupSame Apple Account and compatible iOS, watchOS or macOS host. One-tap setup does not provide AirPods 2 automatic audio routing.
Audio SharingCompatible iPhone or iPad and a second supported Apple or Beats pair. Current software feature, separate from the 2016 launch guide.
Double-tap remappingCompatible Apple host settings. Independent left/right next-track and previous-track options were added with iOS 11.
Source4Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2016/12/apple-airpods-are-now-availableRead 5 October 202615Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/apple-airpods-1Read 5 October 2026
Official licence
Not available

Battery and charging

Battery per bud
Not available
User-replaceable earbud battery
No18Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/information/ma1770_airpods-info.pdfRead 5 October 2026Original 2016 safety leaflet, Batteries section, English page 1: "Don't attempt to replace AirPod or case batteries yourself". The maker documents no user replacement procedure. iFixit teardown scores repairability 0 of 10 and shows spot-welded earbud cells.
Claimed battery life
ModeIncludes case rechargesHours (h)
ANC offNo5
ANC offYes24
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026Up to 5 hours per earbud charge. More than 24 hours including case recharges is stored as a lower bound of 24. August 2016 preproduction test with preproduction iPhone 7 at 50 percent volume ends at the first earbud stopping. Case test repeats 30-minute recharges until empty. The 358-track AAC playlist describes files, not the Bluetooth codec.
Longest claimed use per charge
5h
Playback per charge with ANC (claimed)
Not available
Playback per charge without ANC (claimed)
5h
Total with case (claimed)
24h
Total with case and ANC (claimed)
Not available
Talk time (claimed)
Not available
Full charge time, buds
Not available
Charging guidance
Not available
Quick charge time
15min1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Earbud playback after quick charge
3h1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026Drained earbuds charged in their case for 15 minutes, then played until the first earbud stopped. Same August 2016 iPhone 7 and 50 percent volume test. Three hours is earbud playback after charging, not total case runtime.

Charging case

Case battery
398mAh12Reviewifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Teardown/75578Read 5 October 2026Exact December 2016 A1602 teardown. Case cover prints 398 mAh and exposed case cell image visibly prints 398 mAh, 3.81 V and 1.52 Wh. Printed nominal capacity, not output capacity. Earbud 93 mWh is not converted to mAh. The teardown FCC prose omits A in one identifier, so FCC IDs are not copied.
User-replaceable case battery
No18Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/information/ma1770_airpods-info.pdfRead 5 October 2026Same Batteries section covers the case battery. The leaflet Battery Disposal Information says the lithium-ion batteries in the AirPods and case should be recycled by Apple or an authorized service provider.
Case charging port
Lightning1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Case full charge time
Not available
Wireless charging
No2Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/109525Read 5 October 2026Reference A1602 case is wired only. Maker identifies the later A1938 as the Wireless Charging Case. Exact original review separately describes the wireless case as a later accessory.15Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/apple-airpods-1Read 5 October 2026Original case charges through Lightning. September 2017 update describes the Qi case as an announced future accessory. That later case is excluded from this reference.
Wireless standards
Not available
Wireless charging power
Not available
Speaker in case
Not available
Screen on case
Not available
Case works as audio transmitter
Not available

Controls

Controls
Touch, Voice commands6Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1769_airpods-quickstart.pdfRead 5 October 2026Page 8 double-taps above either stem to activate Siri or answer a call. Case setup button is a pairing control, not earbud playback control.
Earbud volume control
Voice1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 20263Press releaseapple.com/newsroom/2016/09/apple-reinvents-the-wireless-headphones-with-airpodsRead 5 October 2026Siri adjusts volume after a double tap. Hands-free Hey Siri, physical volume buttons and stem swipes are not supported by this original hardware.
Gestures
Double tap6Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1769_airpods-quickstart.pdfRead 5 October 2026
Remappable controls
Yes7Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/dev57e5b7e58/webRead 5 October 2026Current guide explicitly includes AirPods 1 double-tap remapping. Settings require a compatible Apple host. No later stem press, mute or camera gesture inherited.15Reviewheadphonecheck.com/test/apple-airpods-1Read 5 October 2026September 22, 2017 update reports independent left/right Siri, play/pause, next, previous and disabled actions added with iOS 11. Original launch controls were more limited.
Voice assistant
Siri6Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/start/ma1769_airpods-quickstart.pdfRead 5 October 2026

Sensors and health

In-ear detection
Yes1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 20267Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-euro/guide/airpods/dev57e5b7e58/webRead 5 October 2026Automatic ear detection pauses playback on removal and resumes on reinsertion. Host and app behavior can differ.
Sensors
Dual optical sensors, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Heart rate sensor
Not available
Skin temperature sensing
Not available
Hearing aid feature
Not available
Medical clearances
Not available
Hearing test
Not available
Hearing protection
Not available
Health features
Not available

Fit and durability

We could not find any of these 7 fields. Show them
Ear tips included
Not available
Ear tip materials
Not available
Stabilisers
Not available
Ear tip fit test
Not available
Dust and water rating, buds
Not available
Dust and water rating, case
Not available
Water resistance depth
Not available

Software

Companion app
Not available
App platforms
Not available
User firmware updates
Yes13Press articlemacrumors.com/2017/02/01/apple-quietly-updates-airpodsRead 5 October 2026Contemporaneous first-generation firmware update from 3.3.1 to 3.5.1, installed automatically in the case near a connected iOS device. This proves the update route without a promise of future releases or an inferred current version.
Finding network
Last location in the app10Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-am/guide/airpods/dev8e8b93d71/webRead 5 October 2026All AirPods can appear in Find My, but the explicit offline network list excludes AirPods 1. Its app reports the last connected time and place when offline.
Precision finding
No10Owner's manualsupport.apple.com/en-am/guide/airpods/dev8e8b93d71/webRead 5 October 2026Guide assigns precise UWB case finding to AirPods Pro 2 and Pro 3. No UWB case finding on A1602.
Live translation
Not available

Dimensions and weight

Front and side, drawn to scale.

Weight per bud
4g(0.1 oz)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026
Bud dimensions
Width16.5Height40.5Depth18mm(0.6 × 1.6 × 0.7 in)21Spec databaseproductindetail.com/ps/apple-airpods-1st-generationRead 7 October 2026Design and dimensions table, exact first-generation earbuds: Height 4.05 cm, Width 1.65 cm, Depth 1.8 cm. Exact cm-to-mm conversion. Values match unlabelled maker 16.5 by 18.0 by 40.5 mm tuple. Named axes come from spec database, not visual guessing. Case tuple lacks axis labels and remains omitted.
Case weight
38g(1.3 oz)1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026Maker Weight section separately lists one earbud at 4 g and the charging case at 38 g. Case mass excludes earbuds, not a 38 g package total.
Case dimensions
Not available

Certifications

Hi-Res Audio
Not available
Communication certifications
Not available
FCC IDs
Not available
Other certifications
Class 1 Laser, IEC 60825-1:2007 and IEC 60825-1:201418Owner's manualcdsassets.apple.com/live/6GJYWVAV/information/ma1770_airpods-info.pdfRead 5 October 2026Original 2016 AM034-01450-A safety leaflet. English safety pages 1 and 2 and regulatory pages 9 to 12 read. Page 10 Class 1 Laser section explicitly gives IEC 60825-1:2007 and 2014. This does not establish clinical hearing-device clearance.

In the box

In the box
AirPods 1, Charging Case, Lightning to USB cable, Documentation1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026Original wired case package only. Maker list names a Lightning to USB cable but gives no cable length. No power adapter appears in the complete list.
Cables included
TypeCount
Lightning to USB cable1
Source1Maker product pagesupport.apple.com/en-us/111855Read 5 October 2026

Warranty

Manufacturer warranty (source market)
1year17Maker product pageapple.com/legal/warranty/products/accessory-warranty-english.htmlRead 5 October 2026Apple accessory hardware warranty gives one year from original retail purchase. Statutory consumer rights and optional extended coverage are separate.

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Sources

We read 22 sources for this earbuds. The numbers match the markers in the sheet.

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