You may think that AirPods are the only headphones available to you. And you would be wrong. Here are the best audio alternatives for iPhone diehards.
Best for everyday use
AirPods Pro
Specifically designed for the iPhone, the impressive noise cancellation capabilities and a comfortable fit make these the easy choice.
AirPods are great and all, but have you heard of literally anything else?
Listening to music, podcasts, or audio books on your iPhone makes perfect sense given its origins are steeped in the old days of the iPod. To get the most out of your audio experience however, you really need a good set of headphones or earphones. The ones that come bundled with your iPhone just don’t sound as good as a dedicated pair.
It’s important to know what you’re looking for when seeking out the best headphones for iPhone. Here’s what you need to know and the best headphones and earphones for every scenario in life.
Know your iPhone’s capabilities
It’s probably time to go wireless.
If you’ve got an older iPhone, i.e. an iPhone 7 or earlier, you still have a headphone jack which means you can use older types of headphones as well as connect to them via Bluetooth.
Anything newer such as an iPhone 8 or upwards only has a Lightning port for charging as well as plugging headphones in that have the right cable.
You can buy a dongle adaptor that means you can plug a regular headphone jack into the Lightning port but it’s not entirely convenient. For one thing, it’s not cheap to buy and for another, it makes your iPhone pretty clunky to use. The best option is to connect your iPhone to the headphones or earphones wirelessly. It’s far more convenient and means you don’t have to deal with too many cables.
Are AirPods the best option?
Yes and no. AirPods are great, especially AirPods Pro, but they’re expensive compared to competitors. They’re definitely a good one stop solution thanks to being so convenient to set up with your iPhone and they fit the Apple aesthetic perfectly. However, if you’re keen to search around and spend a little longer setting up, there are better options out there depending on what you need your headphones for.
Can’t I just buy the cheapest pair?
You can just spend a few bucks on the cheapest pair of headphones out there but it’s rarely worth it over using the pair you’ve already got with your iPhone. If you regularly listen to music, it’s worth investing a little in a more expensive pair as you’ll be surprised how much better the sound quality is. You can also benefit from extra features like active noise cancellation which blocks out surrounding noises while you’re listening to something.
What pair should I buy?
Have a think about the main reason why you want new headphones. Are you going to be using them while you travel a lot? At home listening to music? While exercising? We’ve looked at a number of different scenarios when you want to use headphones, and figured out the best headphones or earphones for you and your needs.
1. AirPods Pro
Specifically designed for the iPhone, the impressive noise cancellation capabilities and a comfortable fit make these the easy choice.-
Colors:
White -
Battery life:
5 hours -
Truly wireless:
Active Noise Cancellation
2. Bose QuietComfort 20
Block out the outside world with these Bose SoundSport 20 headphones. But be warned: You will need a dongle.-
Colors:
Black -
Battery life:
16 hours (Noise cancellation) -
Wired:
Active Noise Cancellation
3. Beats Solo Pro
The active noise cancellation option in the Beats Solo Pro make these a great pair of headphones for tuning out coworkers (and then tuning back in when you need to.)-
Colors:
Black, Gary, Red, Dark Blue, Ivory, Light Blue -
Battery life:
22 hours with Active Noise Cancellation on -
Wireless:
Active Noise Cancellation
4. AirPods
Need a pair of solid, dependable wireless earbuds? The original AirPods won’t let you down.-
Colors:
White -
Battery life:
5 hours -
Truly wireless:
No noise cancellation
5. Jabra Elite Active 65t
The built-in accelerometer of the Jabra Elite Active 65t headphones make these a top option for runners.-
Colors:
Copper Black, Copper Blue, Gold Beige -
Battery life:
5 hours -
Truly wirelesss:
No noise cancellation
Regularly run and want a device that lets you listen to music while also tracking your route at the same time? The Jabra Elite Active 65t headphones are made for you. With a built-in accelerometer, you can use these to track your run via the supporting app. More importantly though, these truly wireless earbuds are a perfectly snug fit. There’s no risk of them falling out of your ears as you run and they’re pretty durable too. Sound quality is great no matter what you’re listening to, with a form of noise cancelling available that makes crossing roads safer and simpler.
6. Bose SoundSport Wireless
A cable unites the earbuds so they always stick together, but you’ll be completely untethered from your iPhone and are free to run, jump, and climb with ease.-
Colors:
Aqua, Black, Citron, Power Red -
Battery life:
6 hours -
Wireless:
No noise cancellation
When working out, truly wireless earbuds can feel a little too easy to knock out. The Bose SoundSport Wireless earbuds offer the best of both worlds. They have a wire between the two earbuds but are wireless otherwise — no need to be tethered to your iPhone. The earbuds sound great too, thanks to Bose offering consistently great audio with all its products. These earbuds are particularly great for helping you focus on your routine while tuning out surrounding sounds. You can also sync them up with workout apps to further track your exercise, and there’s a built-in mic for taking calls mid rep.
7. Sony WH-H900N
Though we wouldn’t recommend wearing these Sony headphones for working out, they are stellar for your daily commute and can even be personalized to fit your audio preferences.-
Colors:
Black -
Battery life:
28 hours -
Wireless headphones:
Active noise cancellation
Whether you’re listening to music in a room full of people or you’re at home and want some privacy, the Sony WH-H900N are the best headphones for absorbing the music and relaxing. For pure sound quality, they offer a great benefit in the form of being able to upscale compressed audio files on the fly, as well as cancelling out surrounding sound when you want them to. The accompanying app is also great for tweaking the sounds and creating a totally personalized experience. They’re a little bulky for activities like working out, so we wouldn’t recommend them for that, but if you’re commuting or simply chilling out, they can’t be beat.
8. Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2
They may not be the latest model on the market, but this pair from Plantronics will stay comfortable on your ears for hours.-
Colors:
Black, Tan -
Battery life:
24 hours -
Wireless headphones:
Active noise cancellation