Apple AirPods 4: everything you need to know about the latest earbuds

The Apple AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 pinch ANC present — yes, location are 2 versions of Apple’s astir affordable wireless earbuds, pinch a specified $50 separating them. But that spot of rate belies a beautiful large delta successful specs.

So what’s new? What’s different? And which should you walk your money on?

Here’s everything you request to know.

AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 pinch ANC

Apple announced nan newest type of its iconic and massively celebrated wireless earbuds connected September 9, 2024, on pinch nan iPhone 16, nan Apple Watch Series 10, and immoderate beautiful awesome changes successful hearing wellness to nan AirPods Pro 2.

However, Apple didn’t conscionable denote a caller procreation of AirPods, it announced 2 caller models. The AirPods 4 go nan caller entry-level earbuds, replacing some nan second-gen AirPods and third-gen AirPods, which Apple had continued to waste until nan AirPods 4 announcement. Meanwhile, an upgraded type known arsenic nan AirPods 4 pinch ANC becomes Apple’s mid-tier offering.

Physically, nan 2 caller models are identical, pinch a caller style that Apple claims makes them nan astir comfortable AirPods nan institution has ever made. Though nan AirPods 4 pinch ANC has sound cancellation arsenic nan sanction suggests, they execute this without nan usage of silicone eartips, thing you’ll only find connected nan AirPods Pro 2.

The caller earbuds ditch nan pat controls of nan second-gen, opting alternatively for nan squeezable force-sensing controls connected nan stems utilized by nan third-gen and AirPods Pro. Apple has besides added guidance to dust, giving nan caller earbuds an IP54 rating.

Also changed is nan charging case, which Apple says is now 10% smaller than nan AirPods 3.

Pricing and availability

Apple

At $129, nan AirPods 4 are nan aforesaid value arsenic nan now-discontinued second-gen AirPods, while nan AirPods 4 pinch ANC costs $179 — nan aforesaid value arsenic nan discontinued third-gen model.

Though Apple nary longer sells nan second- aliases third-gen AirPods straight from its online aliases brick-and-mortar stores, you tin expect that different retailers will statesman offering discounts connected their remaining inventory, making it a bully clip to bargain if you don’t request nan latest and top models.

Features

Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

The fourth-gen AirPods usage Apple’s H2 chip, nan aforesaid processor recovered successful nan AirPods Pro 2. This enables a number of features for illustration audio-sharing, personalized spatial audio pinch caput tracking, sound isolation connected calls, and nan expertise to usage caput gestures to respond to Siri prompts — thing Apple calls Siri Interactions.

Both models tin complaint via USB-C. Now that Apple has updated nan AirPods Max pinch USB-C charging, nan full AirPods family has afloat migrated to nan caller port. Curiously, Apple is declining to see a USB-C charging cablegram pinch nan AirPods 4 models, marking nan first clip nan institution has sold earbuds without a cable. Apple-owned Beats made this move erstwhile it released nan Beats Solo Buds earlier successful 2024, which suggests cable-less earbuds whitethorn go nan caller norm.

That surely won’t beryllium a problem for nan AirPods 4 pinch ANC. In summation to its progressive sound cancellation feature, its charging lawsuit useful pinch immoderate Qi wireless charging mat aliases nan MagSafe charger for nan Apple Watch. This, according to Apple, makes nan AirPods 4 pinch ANC’s lawsuit nan smallest successful nan world to connection wireless charging.

Like nan AirPods Pro 2, nan AirPods 4 pinch ANC lawsuit besides has a built-in speaker to thief pinch locating it erstwhile utilizing Apple’s Find My app. However, it does not person a built-in lanyard loop for illustration nan Pro’s case.

Both models get a caller acoustic architecture: an Apple-designed low-distortion driver powered by a precocious move scope amplifier. The result, according to Apple, is “exceptional detail, pinch deeper bass and crystal-clear highs.”

New for nan AirPods 4 is overmuch amended sound telephone value erstwhile utilizing FaceTime. The earbuds incorporated nan AAC-ELD codec for a higher-fidelity reproduction of your sound on pinch very debased latency. The characteristic supports value levels up to 16-bit/48kHz, and it useful erstwhile multiplayer gaming too.

Noise cancellation without eartips

Caleb Denison / Digital Trends

We’ve seen companies effort to supply progressive sound cancellation connected semi-open wireless buds successful nan past. The results person been little than impressive. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live and Galaxy Buds 3 connection ANC without eartips, and neither provided meaningful reductions successful noise.

The AirPods 4 pinch ANC are overmuch much successful, as Caleb Denison notes successful his afloat review.

The ANC type of nan AirPods besides get transparency mode positive adaptive audio, which blends ANC and transparency to lucifer your conditions. Conversational consciousness lets nan earbuds move from ANC to transparency erstwhile you commencement speaking, while simultaneously dropping nan measurement of your euphony aliases podcast truthful you tin perceive nan different person.

Battery life

One of nan fewer areas that hasn’t changed overmuch connected nan fouth-gen AirPods is artillery life.

In fact, it whitethorn person gotten somewhat worse. Apple says you’ll get up to 5 hours per complaint connected nan caller models (up to 4 if you’re utilizing ANC), pinch 30 hours of full playtime erstwhile you see nan case’s capacity. The erstwhile procreation had nan aforesaid full time, but pinch six hours per charge.

Five minutes successful nan charging lawsuit will bargain you astir an other hr of listening time.

From ANC to Pro

Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

With nan caller shape, comfort, and disposable ANC connected nan AirPods 4, you whitethorn beryllium wondering if it’s still worthy paying much for nan AirPods Pro 2.

In immoderate ways, this is simply a instrumentality question. If you dislike nan emotion of silicone successful your ears, nan AirPods Pro 2 will ne'er beryllium your cup of tea. But if you don’t mind nan usage of eartips, nan Pro still connection amended sound value (especially successful noisy environments) and their ANC remains nan champion that Apple offers.

The AirPods Pro 2 besides connection a unsocial advantage for those concerned pinch proceeding health: Hearing protection, a proceeding test, and proceeding assistance features were each added pinch nan merchandise of iOS 18.1 package for nan iPhone. It’s not disposable successful each countries yet, but it puts nan AirPods Pro 2 successful a people of their own.