It just makes dealing with incessant city noise so much more manageable.
You don't even have to be listening to music.
But if you are listening to music, you hear it so much more clearly and can use a lower volume.
From a quality of life perspective, if you commute by foot/subway/bus, they're so so worth it.
(Yes there were noise-cancelling headphones before, but always bulky or with wires. With AirPods, they're just effortless to bring+wear.)
Not true. Sony WF-1000XM3's were released before airpod pros, and they have ANC tech that is by all accounts better than Apples. Its the same ANC module that is in the WH-1000XM3's which are viewed by many to be the best ANC headphone right now.
> You don't even have to be listening to music.
It does noise cancelling without music? That seems like a bad feature for something that you are expected to keep in your ear all the time.
It's a great feature.
I do expect to keep them on, they are expensive device and I won't open the little carrying case and put them in each time someone may speak to me.
>press a hardware button which toggles noise cancellation instantly
That does makes it quite handy!