AirPods 4 to Get New Design, Updated Case, and Active Noise Cancellation
Apple in 2024 will introduce a fourth-generation version of the AirPods with a number of new features to make the earbuds more appealing to consumers, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated today in his weekly Power On newsletter.
There will be two versions of the AirPods 4 that are available at two different price points, with Apple aiming to replace both the AirPods 3 and the lower-priced AirPods 2 that it continues to sell. As of now, there is little difference between the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 beyond the design, which Gurman says is confusing to customers and costs Apple money when consumers opt for the cheaper model.
AirPods 4 will streamline the available AirPods options. The earbuds will feature an updated design, which Gurman outlined in October. The new AirPods are expected to look like a cross between the current AirPods and the AirPods Pro, with shorter stems. Fit is expected to be improved, but it is as of yet unclear if Apple will add silicone ear tips.
A redesigned case will include speakers for Find My alerts, and a USB-C charging port rather than a Lightning port. The higher-end version of the AirPods will feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which has to date been limited to the AirPods Pro. It will allow customers to get ANC at a more affordable price point.
In a software update coming later next year, Apple will add hearing aid functionality, allowing AirPods to serve as an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing alternative to traditional hearing aids. The FDA in 2022 approved OTC hearing aid options, paving the way for Apple to market the AirPods for hearing loss. Gurman has said that Apple also plans to offer hearing tests that would tell AirPods users if they are experiencing hearing loss.
The AirPods 4 will launch in 2024, perhaps around September when Apple unveils new iPhone models. Apple is also planning for a new version of the AirPods Max in 2024, but the update will be limited to new colors and the addition of a USB-C charging port.
Apple's more expensive AirPods Pro will be refreshed in 2025, with Apple set to introduce an updated design "focused on comfort" and a faster chip.
Popular Stories
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
