Apple announced the fourth-generation AirPods today during its It's Glowtime event. As you can tell from the gallery above, the AirPods 4 look different from their predecessor. They also have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)—if you're willing to pay extra.
Apple said that it mapped and analyzed many ear shapes to design the AirPods 4's new form factor and claims that this will make for a better fit. The new earbuds appear to have shorter stems. They look more similar to the AirPods Pro now but without the silicone tips.
The new AirPods move from Apple's H1 chip to the H2, which the current AirPods Pro use. Compared to the H1, Apple has said that the H2 is supposed to be up to twice as good at noise cancellation. The fourth-gen AirPods also have a new acoustic architecture that Apple claimed, without getting into much detail, delivers "richer" bass and "clearer" highs.
The new earbuds also have a redesigned case that's smaller than ever for an AirPods case and incorporates Apple's slow (European Union law-driven) shift from the proprietary Lightning charging port to USB-C. Apple said the case should last for up to 30 hours. It also supports wireless charging, including Qi.
Like the current AirPods Pro, AirPods 4 claim personalized spatial audio and machine learning-powered voice isolation as features. They're also supposed to be able to automatically lower the volume of whatever's currently playing when you start talking to someone in real life.
The AirPods 4 will be $129 for base version and $179 for ANC on September 20.
Smaller updates to AirPods Pro and AirPods Max
Apple also announced new features for the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.
The AirPods Pro will get a software update this fall adding a hearing test, and the ability to be used as a "clinical-grade hearing aid." Apple's also adding a feature that allows you to use the AirPods Pro as earplugs in loud environments.
The AirPods Max, meanwhile are joining the move to USB-C. They're also getting on personalized spatial audio and new colorways: midnight, blue, purple, orange, and starlight.
This version of the AirPods Max will be available on September 20 and will cost $549, like the current version.
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