Apple is currently busy launching a range of new products.
That includes a range of updates to its earbud and headphone range.
The latest Apple event is happening right now, and there are a whole host of updates to key products. That includes their range of earbuds and headphones, which have all gotten a refresh.
Popular products like the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods Max get neat upgrades, while we also get the first glimpse of the AirPods 4 – which now come in two different versions! There's a lot to get through, so let's go piece by piece.
AirPods 4
Up first are the AirPods 4. They boast a new design which Apple claim is its most comfortable half-in design ever. It also packs in the powerful H2 chip, for advanced audio processing.
Users will gain access to Spatial Audio, as well as a new feature where you can nod or shake your head, to answer queries from Siri. That means you can say yes or no to a call, then seamlessly start talking on the call.
We also see innovative new features like a USB-C powered case, while 30 hours of total battery life should keep you going for a good amount of time.
It's not all though. This time, Apple is offering a second version of its base model, to bridge the gap to the AirPods Pro.
That offers an ANC-enabled model, which reduces environmental noise and a transparency mode on the brand's base model buds. You'll get features like Conversation Awareness, too, as well as wireless charging in the case.
The base model AirPods 4 cost $129 (approx. £100; AU$195) while the ANC ones cost $179 (approx. £136; AU$268).
AirPods Max
While many had hoped to see a second generation model in this range, those users are likely to be disappointed. That's because we get nothing of the sort here.
Instead, the first-gen AirPods Max get a range of new colours – midnight, blue, purple, orange and starlight – and a USB-C port for charging. There's also Spatial Audio on offer.
AirPods Pro 2
Another product with no successor, though there is more to love for Pods Pro 2 users. That's because they gain a new Hearing Test, which checks in on your aural health with a five minute test.
That data is compiled on your iPhone, with easy to read graphs detailing how your ears are performing. That can then be turned into a sound profile, which boosts the right frequencies for your ears.
The idea, it seems, is that people will use their AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid. I can't see that happening personally – certainly not without a much more discreet bud design – but the technology itself is undeniably great.
