Apple’s ‘biggest AirPods launch yet’ expected in September – with two new models coming
While Apple’s AirPods 3 are excellent earbuds, they face some serious competition – the competition is so fierce that neither the AirPods 2 nor the newer third-generation AirPods feature in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. One reason for that is that they don’t have active noise cancellation, but it looks like the most sought-after feature will be coming to one of this year’s models.
According to Bloombergs Well connected Mark Gurman, Apple plans to launch two new versions of AirPods this year to replace both the second and third generations. With production reportedly set to start in May, the analyst says a September or October launch could be likely.
The upgrades are so big that Gurman says Apple suppliers are preparing for “the biggest AirPods launch ever.” AirPods Pro aren’t expected to be updated until next year, but the gap between Pro and non-Pro versions looks set to narrow significantly this year. Surprisingly, there was no word on the highly anticipated AirPods Max 2 either.
What AirPods upgrades can we expect in 2024?
Gurman says Apple has two new AirPods 4 in development, one of which has a code name ending in E (for Entry Level) and one that ends in M (for mid-tier). Both models will have a lot in common, but they will have slightly different features and price tags. Although we first heard rumors about the new models at the end of 2023, we don’t know yet what the prices will be.
Both new versions have apparently been redesigned to make them more comfortable and fit better, and both versions will have USB-C charging cases. But the big difference between the E and M models is that the M version will have ANC. That’s a first for the non-Pro AirPods, and it’s a big update. If you want ANC-compatible AirPods right now, you’ll want to look for the more expensive AirPods Pro 2, which are one of the best noise-cancelling earbuds.
New hardware isn’t the only AirPods update we’ll see this year. Gurman says Apple is also working on a number of AirPods improvements in iOS 18, including the interesting “hearing aid mode” for AirPods Pro 2. Gurman says Apple is also working on a hearing test feature for the top AirPods, and is considering that in the much longer term it still involves adding small, low-resolution cameras to AirPods so they can provide data to an unspecified AI system.
For me, the most interesting of all the rumors is the ANC in AirPods. When the AirPods 3 launched we said that rivals with ANC tended to cost a little more than Apple’s earbuds, but two years later the intensely competitive earbud market means that devices like the Sony WF-C700N and Nothing Ear (2 ) provide excellent ANC. for significantly less than Apple currently charges. If Apple prices the ANC AirPods 4 right, the 2024 earbuds could be a big hit.