At Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event on September 9, Apple introduced the fifth generation of AirPods. With an open-ear fit, these headphones replace previous AirPods 4 models with better ANC and other new features. Yet even though camera-equipped AirPods were recently leaked by Apple itself, the company isn’t ready to revolutionize earbuds just yet. Instead, Apple is revamping its budget offering, adding open-ear active noise cancellation, improved battery life, stem volume controls, and a MagSafe wireless charger in the box for the most expensive version.
“We’re excited that with AirPods 5, we can bring active noise cancellation, one of our most popular features, to our most affordable AirPods,” said Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering. “Both models of AirPods 5 deliver a world-class listening experience and enable features like live translation for even more people. Paired with Siri AI, AirPods are a game-changer by unlocking powerful hands-free capabilities.
This update comes a few years after Apple introduced the AirPods 4. What’s interesting about these new models is that even though the company raised prices on Macs, iPads, and even made the iPhone 18 Pro models $100 more expensive, the most expensive AirPods 5 now cost $149 – $30 less than the AirPods 4 with ANC at launch.
Upgrades over the previous generation
According to Apple, the new AirPods 5 feature the best ANC in the open earbuds with 50% greater noise reduction than the previous generation. This is possible thanks to a redesigned acoustic architecture and improved computer audio algorithms. The company also claims that Transparency mode has taken a step forward, allowing for more natural voices and nearby sounds than before. Plus, users don’t even have to worry about switching between these two modes thanks to Adaptive Audio, which mixes ANC and transparency depending on what’s happening, such as if you’re at the airport and an announcement is made or if you’re walking past a construction site and the environment is too noisy.
With the AirPods 5, Apple claims to have taken inspiration from the AirPods Pro 3 to offer better adaptive EQ, in addition to richer, more detailed sound. When paired with an iPhone with Apple Intelligence, users can take advantage of Siri AI while wearing AirPods 5, such as asking the personal assistant to play a podcast recommended by a friend, finding a restaurant in a new area, and more. Apple also highlights faster live translation.
With four hours of listening time with active ANC on the cheaper model and an additional 20 hours with the charging case, Apple is also launching a premium version with volume controls, five hours of listening time and a MagSafe cable for charging the new AirPods. Customers can pre-order the new AirPods today, with release scheduled for September 18.
