Apple has unveiled the fourth generation of its popular AirPods, which come with an improved design aimed at providing maximum comfort to users, with significant improvements in sound quality and other new features.
Apple held its annual event today at the company’s headquarters in the United States under the title It’s Glow Time, where it revealed the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, in addition to the new generation of its smartwatches, along with the new AirPods 4.
The new earbuds feature significant improvements in sound quality and support for spatial audio technology, enhancing the personal listening experience.
The AirPods 4 come in two different versions, the basic one priced at $129, and an advanced version that supports Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) priced at $179, making it the first in the non-Pro AirPods series to feature this, along with additional features like Transparency mode, which allows users to hear their surroundings while on the go, and Adaptive EQ feature that helps reduce environmental noise.
The earbuds are also equipped with Conversation Awareness feature, which automatically lowers the volume when speaking with others.
Apple has retained the open-fit design for the earbuds in this generation, with improvements to the earbuds’ structure for enhanced comfort during long-term use.
The AirPods 4 body includes a pressure sensor, previously only available in the AirPods Pro model, allowing control of audio playback by pressing the stem.
The charging case has been reduced in size by 10% and now supports charging via USB-C port, with wireless charging support in the advanced model, including the use of Apple Watch chargers.
The advanced model also features a built-in speaker in the case to support the Find My feature, making it easier to locate the earbuds if lost.
The launch of the earbuds coincides with the release of the new iOS 18 system for iPhones, so there are features to integrate the system with AirPods 4, enabling the use of new voice command features for the digital assistant Siri.
All models of the earbuds, as well as the previous AirPods Pro, support these features, allowing users to interact with Siri simply by voice or by nodding their head positively or negatively.
The AirPods 4 are available for pre-order starting today, Monday, and will officially be available in stores on September 20.
The new earbuds are priced starting from $129 for the basic version and $179 for the advanced version that supports Active Noise Cancellation.
