Apple launches AirPods 4, which will have a more expensive version with noise cancellation

Apple took advantage of the iPhone 16 event on Monday (September 9) to introduce the AirPods 4, with an H2 chip and a more compact design. The starting price is $129. The headphones have gained some features from their “big brothers”, such as shaking your head to accept or decline calls, as well as improvements in call quality.

The AirPods 4 also has a more expensive version, which features active noise cancellation, previously restricted to the Pro models. It does not have a different name, being called “Active Noise Cancellation”, costing $179.

The model with ANC has other benefits from the Pro version, such as Transparency mode (which helps to hear surrounding noises, keeping the user’s attention) and Conversation Detection (which lowers the music volume when someone is talking).

Apple says the AirPods case is the smallest it has ever made, but the 30-hour battery life (counting the battery of the earbuds and the battery of the case) has been preserved. The case has a USB port and supports wireless charging. The speaker in the case helps you find the device using the Find My app.

The AirPods Max have undergone some changes, but the model is the same as the one introduced in 2021. The main one is the USB-C connector, already adopted in the iPhone 15 line and in many of Apple’s products. The headphones will also have new colors.

AirPods Pro 2 could function as hearing aids

Apple hasn’t updated its 2022 AirPods Pro 2, but it has announced new hearing health features. One of these is Hearing Protection, which uses the earbuds themselves as ear protectors. The AirPods Pro 2 can also be used to perform hearing tests and identify hearing loss.

The main tool is Hearing Aid. With it, headphones can operate as hearing aids, helping people with mild to moderate hearing loss, without the need for a specific product.

Despite the announcements, Apple is still waiting for the approval from health regulatory authorities to distribute the update with these tools. It is expected to reach more than 100 countries.