As we expected, Apple has launched the new AirPods 4 at its annual iPhone launch event on Monday 9th September. Unexpectedly, they come in the shape of two versions: an entry-level standard AirPods 4, and a step-up AirPods 4 with ANC.
That's right, Apple is bringing active noise-cancelling to its standard AirPods line for the first time, along with updates to the acoustic architecture, the charging case, the design and plenty of new features.
The AirPods 4 wireless earbuds replace the outgoing AirPods 3 and the older AirPods 2, but there were no 'cheaper' AirPods Lite announced this year. The AirPods 4 remain Apple's 'standard' wireless earbuds, with no eartips included and sit below the flagship AirPods Pro 2.
Below is a rundown of everything we know so far about the new AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC, including confirmed pricing, updates to the design and performance, new features and more.
- Apple's AirPods 4 launch with two model variants: one with noise-cancelling, one without
- Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: what's new?
- Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods Pro 2: what are the differences?
Apple AirPods 4: price
We expected the fourth-gen AirPods to retail for roughly the same as the third-gen AirPods did at launch in October 2021 – £169 / $179 / AU$279 – and our assumptions were largely correct.
The AirPods 4 with ANC will cost $179 / £179, while the standard non-ANC AirPods will cost $129 / £129.
During the swirl of rumours leading to the launch, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (a reliable source of Apple rumours and predictions) teased that Apple would be launching two versions of the AirPods 4, one cheaper and one pricier but with active noise-cancellation. Turns out he was right that this would be the first time a non-Pro model features sound blocking.
We were hoping the prices to go a bit further down (with the introduction of a rumoured AirPods 'Lite' at the £99 / $100 mark, for instance), but these two AirPods 4 models effectively replace the older AirPods 3 and AirPods 2, at nearly identical prices.
Apple AirPods 4: release date
The new AirPods 4 were announced on 9th September 2024 during the iPhone 16 launch event.
You can pre-order both models now, and they will begin shipping and be available globally from 20th September 2024.
Apple is known for its set launch cycles, and previous generations have typically had around two and a half years between them; the original AirPods were released in December 2016, the AirPods 2 appeared in March 2019, and the AirPods 3 came in October 2021. The AirPods 4 slightly break that pattern as they replace both 2019 and 2021 models.
Apple AirPods 4: key designs and features
1. Same design (refined), but no eartips
Apple has said it has refined the design of the AirPods 4, having precisely mapped and analysed thousands of ear shapes and using over 50 million data points to create a better, universal fit for all. These AirPods don't have the changeable eartips as the flagship Pro 2 model does, but Apple claims the AirPods 4 are "most comfortable AirPods ever".
This "open-ear" design goes all the way back to the free bundled wired 'EarPods' that would be included with the many iterations of the iPod, from the Classic to the Shuffle. The comfort and fit has varied between members of the What Hi-Fi? team: some get on with it immediately, while some don't find it practical at all.
2. Improved sound quality
Apple can produce class-leading headphones – the AirPods Max over-ears and the AirPods Pro 2 are testaments to this.
We awarded both pairs five stars, noting their competitive audio quality that impressed us with subtle detail, engaging dynamics, snappy timing and open, spacious sound. If some of this superior quality is carried over to the newer, less-pricey AirPods 4, we will be very pleased. Apple will certainly need to improve sound quality over the four-star AirPods 3, as they weren't the very best wireless earbuds in late 2021, and the competition has moved on considerably since then.
We've been promised an entirely new "acoustic architecture" in the AirPods 4 that provides "massive improvements in audio quality". We don't know what this new acoustic architecture entails (new driver? repositioned vents?) but we hope it's an improvement above the outgoing AirPods 3.
3. No on-bud volume adjustment
Like the flagship Pro 2 earbuds, the AirPods 4 features force sensors on the short stems to control music playback and calls. You can also interact with Siri using gesture controls (shake your head for 'no', nod your head for 'yes' for hands-free calls), but they still don't feature a way to change volume on the buds themselves.
The AirPods Pro 2 brought in on-bud volume adjustment by way of a touch-capacitive layer on the stems, which you slide up and down with your finger. It's intuitive to use and we had hoped this would have ported over to the new AirPods 4, but not this time. We also don't think that the long-press action to change noise modes on the Pro 2 will be present in the AirPods with ANC model.
4. USB-C charging case, battery life is lower on AirPods with ANC
Following pressure from governing bodies, Apple has been transitioning away from its proprietary Lightning connectivity over the last few years. We’ve seen the USB-C port appear in most of their products from 2023 onwards, such as the iPhone 15 and new iPhone 16, and the Siri Remote which comes bundled with the third generation of Apple TV 4K. We also saw Apple change the charging case of the flagship Pro 2 to include USB-C port last year.
As expected, the new AirPods 4's charging case has a USB-C connection. The AirPods with ANC version's charging case has additional features: built-in speakers and wireless charging with Qi-certified and Apple Watch chargers. Both models have a 30-hour battery life in total, with five hours on a single charge for the buds. That reduces to just four hours with ANC turned on... which isn't great.
5. H2 chip for ANC and extra features
The AirPods 4 are powered by Apple's H2 chip, and this could be the best news for the new earbuds. The H2 chip is at the heart of the five-star AirPods Pro 2 and is responsible for its advanced (and extra) features, the twice as effective active noise-cancellation, and improved sound quality. In the AirPods 4, the H2 chip brings with it personalised spatial audio and voice isolation for clearer call quality. In the AirPods with ANC, it unlocks noise-cancelling abilities alongside a Transparency Mode – how effective the ANC will be in an open-ear design is something we're curious to investigate once we get our hands on a review sample.
Other features previously exclusive to the flagship Pro 2 that are now available in the AirPods 4 with ANC are Adaptive Audio (which adjusts the level of ANC automatically depending on the noise around out) and Conversation Awareness (which lowers the music volume when it realises you are speaking so you can have a chat).
MORE:
AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC: which new pair should you pick?
Apple AirPods Lite: rumour round-up for even cheaper AirPods
AirPods Pro 3: rumour round-up for the third-gen Pros
