Apple Streamlines AirPods Lineup With Fourth-Generation Dual-Model Launch
With the launch of the new AirPods 4, Apple discontinued the low-cost AirPods 2 and AirPods 3, making the AirPods lineup much less confusing. The AirPods 4 come in two variants, one with Active Noise Cancellation and one without, allowing Apple to hit two separate price points.
The AirPods 4 without Active Noise Cancellation are priced at $129, which is the same price that Apple used to sell the AirPods 2 for. The ANC version is priced at $179, the same cost as the prior-generation AirPods 3.
There wasn't notable difference between the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 in terms of core functionality, which was undoubtedly confusing to the average consumer not familiar with Apple's products. The new lineup makes it very clear what's what, and what you get for the extra $50. Apple has also eliminated the confusing charging case options, and both models use USB-C.
Along with Active Noise Cancellation, there are a couple other differences between the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. The ANC model has a case that supports MagSafe charging and Find My, and it also has ANC-related features that include Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, and Conversation Awareness.
Other than these features, the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 ANC are identical in design and functionality.
Apple rounds out the AirPods lineup with the $249 AirPods Pro 2 and the $549 AirPods Max. The latter headphones were just refreshed with USB-C charging and new color options, but are otherwise unchanged. The AirPods Pro 2 were updated in September 2023, and we're expecting to see another refresh in 2025.
Popular Stories
Apple today released iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the...
Apple is set to release iOS 18.1 in October, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks a significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a couple of handy new...
Apple is working on a new iPad mini that will "potentially" be released "by the end of 2024," according to a report today from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Last month, Gurman reported that Apple had "new iPads in the works," including an upgraded version of the iPad mini. At the time, he said the device was "on deck for Apple's October event" alongside the first M4 Macs. The wording in his...
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.0.1, the first update for the macOS Sequoia operating system. The 15.0.1 update comes a week after Apple first released macOS Sequoia 15. Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. According to Apple's release notes, macOS Sequoia 15.0.1 fixes a bug that could cause the Messages app...
Now that it's been two weeks since the iPhone 16 models were released, we've been able to spend enough time with the new devices to share a more in-depth review on their performance, battery life, feature set, and more. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've been testing the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, but the gap between the Pro models and the standard iPhone 16...
Amazon is hosting another Prime Day event this year, called Amazon Prime Big Deal Days and offering shoppers the first chance to save on holiday shopping from a major retailer. Similar to the first Prime Day, it will last for two days (October 8-9) and you can already find a large selection of early deals across Amazon's storefront, covering savings on tech, clothing, video games, groceries, and...
Apple in October will release macOS Sequoia 15.1, bringing to Macs the first Apple Intelligence features such as Writing Tools, new Siri features, Smart Replies, and more. In addition, macOS 15.1 adds a handful of welcome tweaks and improvements to existing Mac capabilities. Here's what we can expect from the first major update to macOS Sequoia later this month. Note that Apple...
It's hard to believe we're already into October with the iPhone 16 launch behind us, but there's lots more still to come from Apple this year on both the hardware and software fronts. We're still expecting a number of Mac and perhaps some iPad updates in the very near future, while Apple Intelligence features are set to begin rolling out with iOS 18.1 and related operating system updates....
