Apple Unveils AirPods 4: A New Design with Open-Ear Fit and Active Noise Cancellation
Apple has introduced the AirPods 4, the latest addition to its popular wireless headphone lineup alongside the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro and the Apple Watch Series 10. With a refreshed open-ear design, AirPods 4 now offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), making it the first open-fit model in the series to feature this capability. Available for pre-order starting today, AirPods 4 come in two versions: one with ANC and one without, delivering a more tailored experience for users alongside higher versatility when it comes to pricing.
New AirPods 4
Key Features of AirPods 4:
Open-Ear Design: Apple designed AirPods 4 using advanced technology like 3D photogrammetry to create a shape that naturally fits more users worldwide.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): The ANC model reduces environmental noise like city traffic, enhancing the listening experience in noisy settings.
Personalized Spatial Audio: Powered by the H2 chip, AirPods 4 deliver immersive sound with dynamic head tracking.
Improved Battery Life: The charging case, now equipped with USB-C, provides up to 30 hours of listening time.
A main difference between the base model and the version with ANC is the charging case. The case of the base model charges only via USB-C, while the charging case of the ANC model supports also wireless charging (Qi or Apple Watch charger). Moreover, the charging case of the ANC model has built in speaker for improved Find My support.
Charging Case Available with the ANC Model
The base model doesn’t support Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, and Conversation Awareness. Both AirPods 4 models are Bluetooth 5.3.and have the same battery life when Noise Cancellation is disabled.
With Voice Isolation and Siri Interactions, AirPods 4 ensure clearer calls and hands-free control, making them ideal for everyday use. This is an important feature that was announced for the AirPods Pro 2 (since it’s tied to the H2 chip) earlier this year during WWDC 2024.
Pricing and Availability
AirPods 4 without ANC are available for $129 (U.S.).
AirPods 4 with ANC are priced at $179 (U.S.).
Both models are available for pre-order starting today, with in-store availability beginning Friday, September 20, in the U.S. and more than 58 other countries and regions.
