Apple has just unveiled its all-new range of products. While the iPhone 16 and its variations have stolen the limelight, the Cupertino-based company also showcased its all-new AirPods devices which are worthy of a closer look.
Apple has released two new AirPods 4 – the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation – and the second generation of the over-ear AirPods Max.
Both the new AirPods 4 feature the H2 Apple Silicon chip. As a result, the company claims significant audio quality improvements, including personalised spatial audio and voice isolation, which removes background noise. It added that users will notice “richer bass” and “crystal-clear highs” too.
The new AirPods 4 comes with new Siri interactions. Users can physically nod their heads as a “yes” or shake their heads as a “no” to answer questions when interacting with Siri while wearing AirPods 4.
The AirPods 4 feature a new force sensor on the stem to play or pause media and to mute or end calls with a quick press on it. (Image: Sourced from Apple Newsroom)
Apple has redesigned the AirPods 4 to make it more similar in design to the AirPods Pro as far as its aesthetics are concerned. The AirPods 4 has a shorter stem, making it less visible when worn. Users can also control the audio playing through their AirPods 4 via a sensor on the stem, which they can press to play or pause music, or mute calls.
The charging case of the AirPods 4 offers 30 hours of battery life (Image: Sourced from Apple Newsroom)
As for the Airpods4 with Active Noise Cancellation, features worked into it include transparency mode and active audio. They reduce noise around the user and adjust the volume based on the user’s surroundings. Also, a new Conversation Awareness feature automatically lowers the volume of the user’s earbuds when they begin talking.
The charging case for the AirPods has received a major update across both models. Apple has traded in the lightning cable for USB-C on the AirPods 4 charging case, and Apple claims the case comes with 30 hours of battery life.
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation charge using a USB-C charging cable, Qi-certified charger, or Apple Watch charger (Image: Sourced from Apple Newsroom)
The case for the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation can be wirelessly charged and has a built-in speaker to help with the Find My feature.
Apart from the two AirPods 4 models, Apple also exhibited its AirPods Max over-ear wireless headphones the It’s Glowtime event.
AirPods Max come in five new colours, including starlight, orange, purple, blue, and midnight. (Image: Sourced from Apple Newsroom)
The new AirPods Max have a similar design to the first-gen version of the AirPods Max, with the only difference being a switch from the old Lightning connector to USB-C connectivity, and a host of new colour options including midnight (blue), starlight (purple) and orange options.
Apple has promised the new device offers the “highest fidelity sound quality” and “personalised spatial audio for film and music” as it does on the first generation which it introduced back in 2020.
Pre-orders have opened for all three new devices and deliveries set to commence in Australia on September 20. The AirPods 4 costs A$219, while the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation is priced at A$299 and the AirPods Max with USB-C charging costs A$899.
AirPods 4: The New Era of Open-Ear Audio?
Over the last several months, there’s been a lot of chatter about Apple releasing two – and possibly even three – new AirPods models alongside the new iPhone 16 series at its annual fall iPhone event. Well, now it’s official: Apple has unveiled two AirPods 4, both of which feature an open design and are the successor to the AirPods 3. The step-up model has active noise canceling, a feature not typically found in open earbuds.
AirPods 4: A Deep Dive into Design and Features
The AirPods 4 have been slightly redesigned to fit more ears securely. They’re slightly smaller than the AiPods 3 but slightly bigger than the AirPods 2 – they fit my ears well, but I didn’t get a chance to do anything active with them in my ears. The case is also slightly smaller than the AirPods 3’s case.
They’re equipped with USB-C charging and Apple’s more advanced H2 chip. That same chip powers the AirPods Pro 2 and enables such features as Conversation Awareness 2, Siri Interactions, Adaptive Audio, Head Gestures and Voice Isolation that are coming with iOS 18. However, only the higher-end AirPods 4 with noise canceling will support Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness because noise canceling and transparency modes are required to support those features. It’s also worth noting that the higher-end AirPods 4 have the same microphones as the AirPods Pro 2.
Another small but notable difference between the two AirPods 4 models: The step-up model has a speaker in its case like the AirPods Pro 2 and supports charging with a Qi charging pad and the Apple Watch charging puck. The entry-level AirPods 4 don’t have wireless charging.
With both models, Apple says the sound quality has improved, thanks to a new acoustic architecture along with the more powerful digital processing capabilities of the H2 chip. I briefly listened to some music, but Apple’s demo space at the event is very noisy, and I wasn’t able to go back and forth between my AirPods 3 and the AirPods 4 to make a comparison.
I did get a chance to demo the AirPods 4’s noise canceling feature at the Apple event and was pleasantly surprised by its capabilities. It’s not on par with the noise canceling on the AirPods Pro 2, but it did noticeably muffle the sound around me and did a decent job with low frequencies. It’s certainly the best noise canceling I’ve experienced with a set of open earbuds and is better than what I heard with Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 open buds, which also feature active noise canceling.
AirPods 4: What to Expect
The last few years, rumor had it that Apple was planning on releasing less expensive noise-canceling earbuds. But the AirPods 4 with active noise canceling were not what we were expecting – because noise canceling typically doesn’t work with open ear buds.
You can watch Apple’s annual event here, or follow along for updates on CNET’s live blog. By Chris Welch, a reviewer specializing in personal audio and home theater. Since 2011, he has published nearly 6,000 articles, from breaking news and reviews to useful how-tos.
For the first time, Apple’s AirPods for the masses come in two different versions. Today, the company announced its AirPods 4 earbuds, which start at $129, but there’s also a higher-tier $179 model that brings active noise cancellation to this open-style design. We’ve seen this attempted by other brands before — most recently Samsung with the Galaxy Buds 3 — and I’m very curious about how well Apple’s implementation will be able to combat city streets and airplane noise without the help of an in-ear seal from silicone tips.
I just checked out the AirPods 4 here at Apple’s event, and the earbuds themselves look and feel quite similar to their predecessors, though Apple’s website says the contours have been refined for a more secure fit. The charging case is now smaller and lighter than ever, and if you spring for the ANC version, the case supports wireless charging and includes a speaker for Find My location tracking.
The internal acoustic architecture has been redesigned yet again for improved sound, and the AirPods 4 pick up a lot of software tricks from the AirPods Pro, including adaptive audio, transparency mode, and conversation awareness. Much of this is possible because they include Apple’s H2 chip.
The AirPods 4 are currently available for preorder, along with the new Apple Watch Series 10, and will be available in stores on September 20th. Stay tuned for our full review in the coming days. I’m eager to see how the ANC fares. Will it actually be useful? Can it possibly compare to the AirPods Pro and their traditional in-ear fit? We’ll find out soon enough.
What About AirPods Pro 2?
Apple also announced its second-generation AirPods Pro 2. The new AirPods Pro 2 include new hearing health features that Apple claims will “revolutionize” how people listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts. The new features include a hearing test, a hearing aid feature, and an improved active noise cancellation mode that blocks out even more noise.
The company has also added a new feature called Conversation Awareness that automatically lowers the volume of the user’s earbuds when they start talking to someone nearby. This is a great feature for people who want to be able to easily switch between listening to their music and having a conversation without having to manually adjust the volume.
The new AirPods Pro 2 are expected to be available later this fall. Apple says it will also be releasing new AirPods Max in five new colors.
Apple’s Focus on Hearing Health
Apple is making a big push into hearing health with the new AirPods Pro 2. The company has been researching hearing loss for years and is now using its knowledge to develop new features that can help people manage their hearing health. The new features are a welcome addition to the AirPods Pro 2 and will be very useful for people who are concerned about their hearing health.
The new AirPods Pro 2 are a significant upgrade over the previous generation. They offer improved sound quality, a new design, and a range of new features, including hearing health features that will be very beneficial for many people. We can expect to see Apple continue to focus on hearing health in the future, and we are likely to see even more innovative features in future AirPods models.
AirPods 4: A Summary
The new AirPods 4 are a significant upgrade over the previous generation. They offer improved sound quality, a new design, and a range of new features. The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are a particularly interesting addition, as they offer the ability to block out noise in an open-ear design. This is a technology that has been attempted by other brands before, but Apple’s implementation is said to be very effective.
We will have to wait and see how the new AirPods 4 fare in the real world, but they are certainly a promising addition to the Apple ecosystem. They offer a great balance of features and price, and they are sure to be popular among Apple fans.
Apple's Commitment to Sustainability
Apple is also making a big push into sustainability with the new AirPods 4. The company says that the new AirPods 4 are designed to minimize their impact on the environment. The design includes the use of 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 100 percent recycled gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards. The case also uses 100 percent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board and 100 percent recycled aluminum in the hinge. AirPods 4 are free of potentially harmful substances such as mercury, BFRs, and PVC. In a first for AirPods, 100 percent of the packaging is made using fiber-based materials, bringing Apple closer to its goal of completely removing plastic from all packaging by 2025. Additionally, Apple reduced the packaging volume by more than 30 percent compared to the previous generation, which helps decrease emissions from shipping and move closer to Apple’s commitment of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
The Future of AirPods
The release of the new AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 is a sign that Apple is committed to the future of AirPods. The company is constantly innovating and developing new features that make AirPods more versatile and useful. We can expect to see even more exciting features in future AirPods models.
The Verdict
The new AirPods 4 are a great addition to the Apple ecosystem. They offer a great balance of features and price, and they are sure to be popular among Apple fans. The new AirPods Pro 2 are a significant upgrade over the previous generation, offering improved sound quality, a new design, and a range of new features. Apple is also making a big push into sustainability with the new AirPods 4, which are designed to minimize their impact on the environment.
With the new AirPods models, Apple is showing its commitment to the future of AirPods and its focus on hearing health and sustainability. We can expect to see even more exciting features in future AirPods models.
