AirPods 5 to Launch as Early as Next Month - MacRumors
Skip to Content

AirPods 5 to Launch as Early as Next Month

airpods 4 new new orangeApple is planning to announce two new AirPods 5 models as early as Wednesday, September 9, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Like the AirPods 4, the AirPods 5 will be available with and without active noise cancellation, he said.

AirPods 5 references were already discovered in macOS 26.7 Release Candidate code last week, and the report said they could be unveiled at this year's iPhone event. There is no word on how the AirPods 5 will differ from the AirPods 4, which launched in September 2024. In the U.S., AirPods 4 are priced at $129 to $179.

Popular Stories

iphone duo feature

Mark Gurman: Apple Made 'Major Mistake' With iPhone Duo Pre-Orders

Sunday October 18, 2026 7:33 am PDT by
Despite knowing that the iPhone Duo would face "severe supply constraints" due to manufacturing challenges, Apple chose to begin iPhone Duo pre-orders on Friday instead of waiting until it had more inventory ready, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he called this decision a "major mistake." "Let me cut to the chase: Apple made a major mistake here," he...
Black Apple Event Logo

Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'

Thursday October 15, 2026 4:13 am PDT by
Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple would introduce the...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Event Reportedly Planned for October 13

Sunday October 4, 2026 5:07 pm PDT by
Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple plans to unveil an all-new smart home hub, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV 4K on Tuesday, October 13. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman specified that "Apple is planning to hold an event" that...

Top Rated Comments

10 weeks ago
All they need and that I missed from Gen 4 which left me with my Pros is the volume slider on the stems. If they get this, I will happily say goodbye to my AirPods Pro.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
10 weeks ago
What about the new AirPros?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PsykX Avatar
10 weeks ago
My AirPods 4 with ANC are pure perfection so...
I'm not interested, but they have my curiosity.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zakarhino Avatar
10 weeks ago

All they need and that I missed from Gen 4 which left me with my Pros is the volume slider on the stems. If they get this, I will happily say goodbye to my AirPods Pro.
Same. The reason I think this will happen is because of the trickle down pattern: AirPods Pro gets the newest features first, the base AirPods get it when the APP has something new to offer.

My working theory is this the headline new capability for this year's AirPods Pro is support for "spatial awareness" (ahem, NOT Visual Intelligence or anything that could be misconstrued as a 'camera') -- so possibly air gestures, 3D awareness of the space around you to enhance Spatial Audio (ripped from Vision Pro), and maybe some kind of enhancement to the conversational awareness feature with beam forming to 'figure out' who's talking to you and only let their voice break the noise cancellation bubble.

The "Visual Intelligence" AirPods Pro will come later or never at all. That's what I think the deal is with the supposed two separate models of the "Camera AirPods" being tested. One is what everyone's freaking out about, AirPods with an actual camera capable of taking RGB photos for Visual Intelligence. The other just uses the same LiDAR/IR stuff Vision Pro uses for room mapping and gestures -- not something the public could interpret as a wearable with cameras the same way they (rightfully) freak out about Meta's glasses.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
10 weeks ago
Don't think there will be a price increase. Waiting to see the improvements it will offer.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
10 weeks ago
would be good to a have a volume slider on the body of airpods. On 4th version - it annoys me that I have to ask Siri to increase a volume
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch
Apple Offers Steps to Fix Daylight Saving Time Bug on Apple Watch
2 hours ago
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Hits All-Time Low Price With Amazon's $99 Discount
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Hits All-Time Low Price With Amazon's $99 Discount
21 hours ago
Reminder: Apple's Big Discount on Beats 360 Ear Cushions Ends Today
Reminder: Apple's Big Discount on Beats 360 Ear Cushions Ends Today
21 hours ago
Here's a New Tour of Apple's HomeView Software
Here's a New Tour of Apple's HomeView Software
21 hours ago
Apple Reveals New iPad Mini's Battery Capacity
Apple Reveals New iPad Mini's Battery Capacity
22 hours ago
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
Top Stories: Apple's Big MacBook Pro, iPad mini and iMac Updates
23 hours ago
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today
1 day ago
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan
1 day ago
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More
2 days ago
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue
2 days ago
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China
2 days ago
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week
2 days ago
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'
2 days ago
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2
2 days ago
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later
2 days ago
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More
2 days ago
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed
2 days ago
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry
2 days ago
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders
2 days ago
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months
2 days ago
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac
2 days ago
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
Apple Acquires Ascend.io
2 days ago
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features
2 days ago
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99
2 days ago
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral
2 days ago
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores
2 days ago
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027
2 days ago
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed
3 days ago
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display
3 days ago