Apple Watch has a love-hate relationship with swimmers. It tracks laps, distance, resting time, and whatnot. But what it can’t do is to play music to wireless headphones underwater.
It is not that Apple Watch is not capable of playing music. How it connects to the headphones is the problem. It uses Bluetooth which does not work underwater. There is also no headphone jack on Apple Watch to use it as wired.
This is where the H2O Audio Interval comes into play. The interval puts the watch and the earbuds together in the setup which bypasses the connection interference created by water. In short, it allows you to enjoy music in water from the watch.
So how good are these swim headphones for Apple Watch and are these even worth buying? Let’s review and analyze it together.
1. Design
The Interval from H2O Audio is nothing other than a plastic holder for Apple Watch. It has earbuds fixed to its sides. The entire system is IPX8 water rated meaning swimming deep in the water is not going to be a problem.
So here is how it works. You take the wristband off your watch, snap the watch module on the designated place of the interval and attach it to your swimming goggle through the loops.
As you can already tell, it sits on the back of the head. Two short-corded earbuds come out of it, just enough long to reach the ears. These earbuds are called Surge S+ which is their own product. The only difference is that it is non-removable from the holder.
There are physical play/pause and volume buttons on the body which allow you to control music from under the water, in case you have been wondering how you could do that.
What I like about these earbuds is that it can be used as water-blocking earplugs. It comes with 8 spare ear tips in different sizes and shapes. You can try out and use the best one for your ears.
2. Features
IPX8 water rated
These headphones including the holder have an IPX8 waterproof rating. It is certified to work up to 12 feet or 3.6 meters of water without any problem.
IPX8 is one of the highest water ratings for electronic devices. Since there is no metallic cord involved, both the headphones and the watch will be safe from any kind of rust or whatsoever.
Connects directly to Apple Watch via Bluetooth 5.0
The Interval supports Bluetooth 5.0 offering a much stronger and wider bluetooth coverage.
Since the range of Bluetooth connectivity goes down significantly under the water, it is essential to have a newer technology like this.
You can directly connect the headphones from the bluetooth settings on your watch. A phone is not at all required.
Works underwater despite the laws of Physics
You might wonder that bluetooth does not work underwater so how these headphones would work. Of course, it cannot break the rules of physics.
They designed this holder in such a way that the watch once snapped onto the place sits within an inch from the bluetooth module present on the headphones. The signal does not have to pass through the water to face an interruption.
Works with nearly all sizes and all series of Apple Watch
These swim headphones from H2O Audio are compatible with all Apple Watches except Series 1. It also includes the Watch SE.
Not only all series but also all sizes of Apple Watch work with these headphones. The range includes 38 mm to 44 mm body.
Earplugs in various sizes and shapes
Interval headphones can serve as water earplugs. There are three spare sets of tree-shaped and five normal-shaped ear tips in the bundle.
If you count the default pair as well, there is a total of 10 ear tips. The selection is good enough for almost any size or shape of ears.
6 hours of music on a single charge
The rechargeable batteries on this device last six hours on one charge at full volume.
It is not massive, but it is sufficient if you intend to use these headphones for swimming only.
3. Performance
The thing is, H2O Audio Interval headphones still use bluetooth. Which means that you have to connect them wirelessly from your watch.
For a second you could think it is contracting the laws of physics but it isn’t. The watch and the headphones sit close to each other that is barely any water in-between to create connection interference.
The Surge S+ headphones used on this device have a bass-amplified sound signature. If you like warm and punchy sounds, you are going to like these earbuds.
This device lacks a bit of modularity. For example, if the headphone cords break, the device is useful. You cannot swap it out for another one. Sometimes you just wish you could use your favorite pair of waterproof headphones which isn’t possible in this setup.
Compatibility is not an issue with the Interval headphones. It works from the latest Apple Watch Series 6 (including SE) to the second oldest Series 2. Doesn’t matter if the size is 38 mm or 44 mm. If Apple doesn’t change the size, it will work with the upcoming Series 7 as well.
There is no hard and fast restriction on which music app you can use. As long as the app on your watch supports offline music, you are good to go. Yes, the music has to be offline since networks do not underwater (including wifi). To give you some examples, Apple Music, Spotify Premium, Pandora Premium, and Audible work with this setup.
4. Value for Money
There isn’t much to talk about when it comes down to whether it is worth the money or not. H2O Audio Interval is one of a kind. There aren’t any similar products to compare with.
It works as it is advertised. You can play good quality music from your watch while swimming. Definitely, it is on the expensive end but it might be worth it for people who spend a lot of time in the water.
If there is a major drawback, it is that the Apple Workout app on Apple Watch does not work with the H2O Audio Interval headphones. The watch sensors do not work when you wear them anywhere other than your wrist.
But H2O Audio has its own swim tracking app though which lets you sync your data to Apple Health. It is a small tradeoff if you think about this, but you are getting your data sent to where you expect.
If music from Apple Watch is what you are looking for, you are in good hands with the Interval swim headphones. Do note that there are other ways to enjoy music in the water besides Apple Watch.
