With the announcement of the iPhone 12 no longer including any type of earbuds in the box, now seems to be a good time to shift to Bluetooth headphones or earbuds for your new Apple device. While Apple has the Airpods, Airpods Pro, and even Powerbeats Pro (from Beats), we wanted to explore and to give you other options aside from the products that we’ve mentioned should you want an alternative.
That being said, we’ve compiled a list of the best wireless headphones and earbuds options for your iPhone 12 – though our picks can work out with your Android phones as well.
It’s no surprise that an entry from Sony makes this list as they have a pretty solid reputation in the audio market – including the wireless headphone niche. In saying that, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is a great pair with features for a better experience with calls. It works better than the previous WH-1000XM3 model in noisier environments and has a multipoint Bluetooth pairing feature wherein you can connect to two devices at the same time. This is very convenient because if a call were to come in on your smartphone while you’re using your computer, audio will automatically switch to your phone once you pick it up. This also means that you wouldn’t have to go through the hassle of pairing and unpairing your headphones to multiple devices.
This pair is the successor of the BeatsX – Beats’ neckband-style wireless earbuds. It retails for much cheaper compared to its predecessor and has a better performance, being great for calls and having a better battery life. It’s also available in fun colors including a striking yellow and a cool light blue (arriving early 2021).
These earbuds have great value for money with a price tag of $70 despite being chock full of features. Firstly, it’s IPX7-rated which means that it’s fully waterproof which is perfect for the gym and on-the-go. Next, you get 7 hours of playtime with moderate volume levels with USB-C charging. Call quality is good as well with a sidetone feature that lets you hear your voice during calls in the earbuds. The only downside to this pair though is that the controls can be a little tricky to figure out – but a quick search online should do the trick for you. Other than that, this is a great option overall with superb value for money.
As we are talking about the best wireless earbuds in relation to the iPhone 12, we won’t forget the Airpods Pro by Apple. They’re great to use with the Apple ecosystem of products with even more features available now that iOS 14 is available. Aside from that, they’re premium noise cancelling earbuds with transparency mode which is practically a must with the modern wireless pairs of today. It has improved bass and spatial audio as well which is a new virtual-sound mode for watching movies and TV shows; though this would only work on Apple devices running iOS 14. They’re also good for calls and working out so people with active lifestyles and those always on-the-go would really be able to appreciate this pair.
These earbuds have great sound quality and noise cancellation – even being better than the Airpods Pro in this category. They also feature great design with their ear wings so you wouldn’t be worried at all about these falling out while working out or doing other strenuous activities. They have a bigger form factor though so if that’s something you’re particular about, it could be a slight Con for you.
We know that we’re talking about wireless headphones and earbuds for the iPhone 12 but this Samsung pair should do the trick for you. This pair is the same as the original Galaxy Buds but their battery life is rated at 11 hours of playtime (compared to the original’s 6 hours) with better drivers for sound and an additional microphone in each bud for external noise reduction when taking calls. It has great sound quality and an improved app for iOS users so you wouldn’t have to worry about this pair’s compatibility with your iPhone 12 or other Apple devices.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
This pair has a small form factor for maximum comfort, making sure you have no ear fatigue when you wear them for hours on end. It also has great sound quality and amazing active noise cancellation technology which rivals many pairs in the market. It comes in a classic black but will be available in a bright white as the year goes by. It uses Bluetooth 5.1 and supports both Apple and android devices with no problem.
Like the Airpods Pro, these obviously work well with the Apple ecosystem of products being manufactured by Apple themselves. They’re a great pair with crisp sound quality and features such as always-on voice recognition which is great for hands-free listening. They’re also great for calls which are becoming increasingly important at a time where online meetings are prevalent.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
These headphones offer better sound quality, call, and noise cancelling features compared to its predecessor, the Quiet Comfort 35 II. Aside from this, it gives you 20 hours of listening time which is perfect for long haul flights or commutes since it will last through your playlists, movies, and podcasts. Like we’ve mentioned above, it’s also great for calls and works as an amazing headset so your value for money is definitely guaranteed if you’re someone who’s going to need that feature a lot.
These earbuds are the successor of the Jabra 65t with many improvements done. It’s 20% smaller than the 65t which means that it’s more portable and comfortable to wear for hours on end. It has better battery life as well and USB-C charging which is the standard charging protocol that many phones and other devices use. One of the major upgrades though is a firmware update that gives you noise cancellation. It also has an IP55 rating which means that it can withstand heavy sprays of water.
One of the main attractions of this pair is all the fun colors it’s available in – you’re not stuck with the usual black, white, and beige colorways that a lot of wireless earbuds come in. With this one, you can expect bright yellows and cool pinks which are sure to add a pop of color to your looks. Since Beats are owned by Apple, the Powerbeats Pro offers the same features as the Airpods and Airpods Pro. They offer more bass though and a water-resistant sport design alluding to their target audience of more athletic crowds. They’re definitely perfect for those who are very sporty and for those who love going on adventures.
This pair is on the smaller side which makes them perfect for those who are looking for a more discreet pair. They’re made for those with more active lifestyles, being IPX7-rated meaning that they’re fully sweat and waterproof. They have good sound quality, battery life, and overall performance as well receiving tweaks to make them better than the other pairs that Jaybird has released.
The Solo Pro is a more compact headphone pair by Beats but it doesn’t fall short of amazing features that would be great for your iPhone 12. It’s the first on-ear pair by Beats to feature active noise cancellation. It also has transparency mode which you can access with a tap of a button to be able to hear the outside world and ambient noise while listening to music. Additionally, it has six microphones working for you – two of which are designed to hone in your voice for calls or voice assistants. As for sound quality, it’s smooth and well-balanced with a punchy bass that fortunately doesn’t make the music sound booming.
This pair is on the affordable side with it regularly being on sale. For its price though, you get good value for money with its good sound quality and decent noise cancelling. Sound is clear with a good level of bass and bass boost (or BassUp Mode) is available if you want more punch. It’s very comfortable to wear as well with 40 hours of battery life which makes it a perfect companion for travelling. Its capabilities for taking calls also impresses which makes it our number one pick for affordable wireless headphones.
Now, with that wraps up our list of the best wireless headphones and earbuds for the iPhone 12. This is the perfect opportunity to not only upgrade your phone but your earbuds as well. With all of our picks above, we can guarantee you satisfaction and a happy listening. We hope to have helped you with this article and with your earbud hunting journey in general.
