Apple AirPods 4: everything we know so far and what we want to see

Date:
Sun, 26 Nov 2023 09:00:20 +0000

Description:
Longer battery, better audio, USB-C: which rumoured features will make it to the Apple AirPods 4?

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Its been more than two years since the Apple AirPods 3 hit shelves, yet
theres still no official word from Apple on when we might expect to see their successors. And while the AirPods Pro 2 rank highly in our list of the best earbuds , the AirPods 3 now face much stiffer in-ear competition than when they launched in October 2021.

It's fair to say, then, that the AirPods are due an update. The question is when thats going to arrive and, if youre in the market for a pair of
AirPods, whether you should wait for the fourth generation, or grab one of
the best AirPods deals available right now.

To help you decide, weve rounded up all the leaks, tip-offs and intel currently circulating about the AirPods 4. From release date rumors to talk
of new hardware tricks, youll find all of the latest AirPods 4 news below.

Weve also given our opinion on which upgrades we think are most likely to happen in reality, and what features wed like to see. Apple AirPods 4 rumored release date and price (Image credit: Apple)

The AirPods 3 launched on October 26, 2021, priced at $179 / 169 / AU$279.
Its rare for Apple to reduce the price of a like-for-like upgrade, so we
would expect the fourth-generation AirPods to retail at a similar price
point.

There is a caveat, though. Rumors indicate that Apple may release two
versions of the AirPods 3: the regular version and a cheaper, simpler
variant. Analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo have both referenced a low-cost version of the standard AirPods, possibly dubbed the AirPods Lite , which could hit the US market at a more accessible price of $99.

Respected Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman has backed up these claims with a suggestion that the regular AirPods 4 will benefit from noise canceling and a case equipped for Find My alerts, features which the basic option apparently wont offer.

Whats not clear is when either or both models will launch. Apples events in September and October 2023 passed by without any mention of the AirPods 4.
The original AirPods launched in December 2016, followed by the second generation in March 2019, then the AirPods 3 in October 2021. Based on those date windows, the AirPods 4 would be overdue after the first quarter of 2024.

Wed certainly expect to see the AirPods 4 arrive next year, a timeline backed by Gurman. Kuo, though, has suggested that the AirPods might not ship until later in the year, or even early in 2025 a delay credited to a change in manufacturing partners. We still think a spring Apple Event in March is the most likely date, but nothing close to an official release date has surfaced yet. Apple AirPods 4: Design and features (Image credit: Shutterstock / Ivan_Shenets)

In our review of the AirPods 3 , we found their shorter stems and contoured shells more comfortable than previous editions. Wed hope and expect to see
the design refined further for the fourth generation.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts that the next AirPods will blend the design of the AirPods 3 with the AirPods Pro 2. The two are already visually very similar, so its likely that the AirPods 4 will refine the existing formula rather than doing anything revolutionary with the styling. In the same vein, we think the AirPods 4 will follow all previous editions and ship only in Apples trademark white finish.

One welcome update would be the addition of changeable ear tips to the
AirPods 4, a feature currently reserved for the Pro series. Sadly, Gurman thinks this is unlikely to happen, suggesting instead that the AirPods 4 will stick with the unsealed setup of previous editions. This points away from the presence of active noise cancellation on the AirPods 4, although doesnt rule it out.

Similarly, we would be glad to see the touch controls used to offer on-bud volume control, as they are with the AirPods Pro 2 . We commented on this omission in our review of the AirPods 3, and it feels like a feature that should be offered as standard, rather than relying on Siri or your
smartphone. Only time will tell whether Apple agrees and adds it to the AirPods 4.

As for the charging case, theres been plenty of discussion surrounding the switch to USB-C . This is pretty much a certainty, given the EUs ruling on ports and the fact that Apple has already starting fitting the interface to its flagship devices, including the iPhone 15 family. In fact, Gurman reckons all AirPods will switch to USB-C by next year. Apple AirPods 4: Sound quality (Image credit: Future)

Sound quality on the AirPods 3 was balanced and broadly impressive, but far from the best out there. An unsealed fit means bass is never going to be brilliant, but wed still hope to hear improvements in the AirPods 4. These could be courtesy of refinements to Adaptive EQ, or due to the presence of Apples H2 chip (see below).

The AirPods Pro will continue to be pitched as Apples earbuds of choice for audiophiles, but Apple at least needs to keep pace with wireless in-ears that cost less and sound better such as the Sony WF-C700N . Well have to wait and see how it goes about this.

If Apple does go down the route of releasing a cheaper version of the AirPods 4, we wouldnt expect core audio quality to suffer, but its likely that Apple would cull certain premium listening features from the cut-price option.
These may include ear detection and support for Spatial Audio.

If you listen to music on a platform which doesnt support Spatial Audio, such as Spotify, the omission of the latter in exchange for a lower price could make the Lite version of the AirPods 4 the more appealing choice. Apple AirPods 4: Software and performance (Image credit: TechRadar)

While battery life improved with the AirPods 3, these gains were nullified when Spatial Audio was enabled. Wed hope to see longevity meaningfully improved on the AirPods 4. One way to achieve this could be with Apples H2 chip.

Already found on the AirPods Pro 2, the H2 chip is more efficient than the H1 equivalent found in the AirPods 3. It also supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, which itself is more efficient and more stable than Bluetooth 5.0. The H2 chips computational smarts can also contribute to enhanced audio quality, although its not clear how much of an impact this would have without ANC.

Adding the H2 chip to the AirPods 4 would mirror the trickle-down approach that Apple takes to its smartphone processors. Assuming that the AirPods Pro
3 are also on the horizon, quite possibly equipped with a new H3 chip, then the H2 makes sense as an incremental performance upgrade for the AirPods 4
at least for the full-price version.

As for other features, we think theres a good chance that other previously
Pro features will make their way down to the AirPods 4 specifically support for Find My alerts, by way of speakers in the charging case.

Other advancements mooted by Mark Gurman for future AirPods models include temperature sensors and support for some kind of hearing data. If and when well see such features remains to be seen, and it seems likely that theyd be introduced to an AirPods Pro update before the standard model. You might also like AirPods Pro 2 vs AirPods 3: which are the better true wireless earbuds? AirPods Pro 3: everything we know so far, key upgrades we want to see I tried all 6 new AirPods Pro 2 features and if you dont update to iOS 17, youre missing out



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/apple-airpods-4


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)