Apple took the wraps off its new wireless earbuds during the Glowtime event earlier today. The company announced two AirPods 4 models, while the AirPods Pro 2 got some software updates.
Both devices are powered by the H2 wireless chip, which allows for higher audio quality and longer battery life. It also improves Active Noise Cancellation, spatial audio and connectivity.
AirPods 4: Main Specifications
The AirPods 4 battery life remains unchanged. It allows up to six hours of continuous listening or 30 hours counting the charging case. Using spatial audio reduces that to five and 20 hours, respectively.
The open-ear design, which helps prevent the earbuds from sounding muffled, has been refined. Apple says they modelled the new earbuds using 50 million data points to fit a wide range of ear formats.
AirPods 4 Features
Along with the new design, the AirPods 4 come with additional features compared to the previous model. Check below:
Head Movement Detection
You can now shake or nod your head to answer Siri or accept or reject incoming calls.
ANC Model
Alongside the regular AirPods 4, there’s a new ANC-capable model. The design remains the same, but the variation features noise-cancelling, transparency mode and adaptive audio with conversational awareness.
New Charging Case
Following Apple’s ditching of the Lightning connector, the AirPods 4 features a USB-C port. The case has also been made smaller, and there’s wireless charging as well. It can be charged using any Apple Watch cable and Qi-compatible chargers.
AirPods Pro 2 Gets Software Update
The AirPods Pro didn’t get a new generation this time. The AirPod Pro 2, however, gained a wide range of new features. The charging case and battery life didn’t change. You still get up to six hours of continuous listening with ANC on, and four additional charges on the case.
AirPods Pro 2 New Features
This year, Apple invested heavily in health-related features for the AirPods Pro 2. The company conducted a large-scale study about its users’ hearing health, which guided the new functionalities.
Hear Impairment Prevention
The study’s results allowed Apple to develop a set of prevention tools to help its customers avoid hearing loss while using their earbuds. The AirPods Pro 2 applies this using the ANC and the passive reduction provided by the rubber tips. It leverages personalized audio profiles and a built-in hearing test, which can be done using your iPhone. The results are stored in the Health app and can be shared with healthcare providers.
Hearing Health Awareness
Along with the impairment prevention feature, Apple also provides tools to let users know how their listening habits may be injuring their inner ear. This feature also analyzes noisy environments to gather insight on how you can prevent further damage to your hearing.
Use AirPods As Hearing Aid
Lastly, Apple has developed hearing aid capabilities for the AirPods Pro. The hearing test finds out which sound frequencies are impaired, and the personalized audio profile boosts these to compensate for the user’s limitations. According to the company, it can help with mild to moderate hearing loss.
AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 Features: Pre-Orders and Availability
The AirPods 4 will be available on September 20 at selected countries, with pre-orders starting today. The less expensive version will retail for $129 at launch. The new ANC AirPods 4 cost $179.
The hearing health features will arrive in the AirPods Pro 2 this fall via a firmware update. The features are pending FDA approval and will be available in over 100 countries.
If you missed today’s first announcements, make sure to check out our coverage of the new Apple Watch models. Stay tuned for our articles detailing the iPhone 16 family.