Apple’s next-gen AirPods 4 and AirPods Max 2 are once again tipped for a late 2024 release. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has corroborated his previous claim in the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter. He says the company is still moving ahead with the previously set release timeline. Here’s what to expect from the upcoming AirPods.
New Apple AirPods: What to Expect?
The next-gen AirPods 4 are tipped to arrive in two different variants. One will be a high-end offering packed with all the improvements. The other variant will be a cheaper model skipping many of the changes. The latter will be aimed at buyers interested in the latest AirPods but do not want to spend a lot.
The AirPods 4 could bring design change as compared to the predecessor. It could have a shorter stem and better fit as compared to the current AirPods 3. Sound quality improvements are expected along with ANC aka active noise cancellation. It is tipped to have a speaker that can play sound when tracking via the Find My application.
The bundled charging case will also change as it is now said to arrive with a USB-C charging port. It is unknown which of these changes would make their way to the cheaper AirPods 4. Apple could also discontinue the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 models post the launch.
As for the AirPods Max 2, it will be Apple’s second headphones, which will launch after 4 years since the first ones arrived in 2020. The new pair of over-the-ear headphones is said to be a minor upgrade over the current-gen model. The biggest change is reported to be the introduction of a USB-C port for charging and wired connectivity. There could also be new colour options but no specific details are known yet.
It is important to note that a late 2024 release does not necessarily mean a launch around September. It could also stretch until December considering Apple’s record in the past. The current-gen AirPods Max launched in December 2020. The most recent release of the stand-alone USB-C charging case for the AirPods Pro 2 happened in December 2023.
Since there’s no confirmation about the launch yet, we will have to take these details with a grain of salt and wait for more information for a more conclusive idea. We will keep you posted as and when new details come in!
