During the "It's Glowtime" event on September 9, Apple announced a new generation of AirPods, as well as breakthrough hearing health upgrades to the AirPods Pro 2. This new lineup of AirPods will allow you to experience music and media in a whole new way while protecting your hearing. Read on to learn more about Apple’s latest upgrades to its unparalleled wireless earbuds.
2024 AirPods Prices & Availability
AirPods 4
- Price: $129
- Availability: Preorder now; available in stores September 20
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
- Price: $179
- Availability: Preorder now; available in stores September 20
AirPods Max
- Price: $549
- Colors: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Orange
- Availability: Preorder now; available in stores September 20
With the introduction of AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, the majority of the features from AirPods Pro 2 have been integrated into the standard AirPods model at a lower price point. However, the AirPods Pro 2 still has its hearing health features and blocks 2x more noise than the AirPods 4. So if the hearing health features aren’t important to you or if Active Noise Cancellation isn’t a dealbreaker, AirPods 4 might be a better buy.
Protect Your Hearing Health with AirPods Pro 2
Instead of AirPods Pro 3, Apple will be upgrading the currently available AirPods Pro 2 to include a variety of new hearing health upgrades. This fall, the AirPods Pro 2 will have Hearing Protection. The silicone tips create a seal inside your ear to block out sound, while the H2 chip inside the AirPods Pro 2 processes environmental noise to reduce the volume and prevent hearing damage. This feature will turned on by default across all listening modes. This means you can essentially use your AirPods Pro 2 as earplugs to protect your hearing while at concerts or other loud environments.
Additionally, AirPods Pro 2 will allow you to take a hearing test using the Health app. According to Apple, the test uses a standard clinical approach to help you determine the state of your hearing health. After completing the test, you’ll have a personalized hearing profile stored securely on your iPhone. You can share this profile with your doctor. This profile can also be used to turn your AirPods Pro 2 into a clinical-grade hearing aid. Your hearing profile will be applied to music, movies, games, and phone calls across all your devices. You can also set up this feature with an audiogram created by a hearing health professional. Apple says, “Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features are expected to receive marketing authorization from global health authorities soon, and will be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, and Japan.”
If the AirPods Pro 2 work well as hearing aids, they could be some of the most affordable hearing aids on the market. This is certainly one of Apple's most innovative features yet, and, in my opinion, the highlight of the Glowtime event. This feature will surely make the AirPods Pro 2 a must-buy for those with hearing loss.
While this feature is coming in Fall 2024, AirPods Pro 2 are already available for purchase at $249.
AirPods 4: The Best Sounding AirPods Ever?
AirPods 4 has been redesigned and upgraded with the same H2 chip found in the AirPods Pro 2, which allows for new features like Voice Isolation, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Siri Interactions. Now, when wearing AirPods 4, you can nod your head yes or shake your head no to respond to Siri. AirPods 4 also has a force sensor built into the stem, which means you can squeeze the stem to pause and play media or mute and end calls.
AirPods 4 also introduces a newly designed case with a USB-C port. If you purchase AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, the case will also have wireless charging capability, as well as a speaker for use with Find My.
Active Noise Cancellation Comes to AirPods 4
For the first time, Apple is introducing two models of the base AirPods. This year, you’ll be able to purchase either the AirPods 4 or AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation offers all of the previously mentioned features, plus a few extra ones.
As its name implies, this new AirPods model will include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). This also means the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation will have Transparency mode. Transparency mode is essentially the opposite of ANC. Instead of blocking out noise, Transparency lets sound in, so that you can still hear clearly even with the AirPods in your ears.
AirPods 4 with ANC will also have Adaptive Audio, which is a combination of both ANC and Transparency modes. Adaptive Audio blocks out noise while automatically letting certain sounds through, such as if someone is talking to you. And if someone starts talking to you while wearing AirPods 4 with ANC, Conversation Awareness will dynamically lower the volume of your music.
New Colors for AirPods Max
The AirPods Max have, unfortunately, been neglected this year, with no significant upgrades. However, Apple did change the charging port to USB-C, making the headphones more compatible with your iPhone 15 and 16 chargers. Apple is also adding five colors to the AirPods Max lineup: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Orange. These are all available for pre-order now at $549 and will be released on September 20, 2024.
