Apple AirPods 4 is tipped to be a significant upgrade over its predecessor. The Cupertino-based tech giant is also aiming to declutter its AirPods lineup as it will reportedly discontinue both AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 after the new launch. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg mentioned in his weekly Power On newsletter that the current AirPods lineup is confusing with nearly no difference in AirPods 2 and 3 except for the design. With the new AirPods 4, Apple will streamline the lineup and have users buy the latest offering. Let’s take a look at the latest AirPods 4 details revealed by the latest report.
Apple AirPods 4 To Offer Significant Upgrades
Mark Gurman has claimed that there will be two AirPods 4 variants sold at two different prices. Notably, Gurman has already revealed in October that there will be two AirPods 4 with a design change and distinctive features. In the latest report, the noted tipster claims that the upcoming AirPods will be a cross between standard AirPods and AirPods Pro. It will come with a shorter stem and an improved fit. However, there’s still no word on whether the company will add silicon ear tips with AirPods 4 or not.
The report suggests that the company will introduce a redesigned charging case that will feature speakers to enable Find My alerts. Additionally, the company will also replace the Lightning charging port with a USB Type-C port on the case. The more expensive AirPods 4 will also get the Active Noice Cancellation feature, which has been an AirPods Pro exclusive feature so far. This is a clear distinction between the two models.
As of now, the AirPods 3 doesn’t offer a significant upgrade over its predecessor except for the new design, which made buyers opt for the cheaper AirPod 2. With the launch of AirPods 4, Apple will phase out both older models, leaving buyers with the option to pick one of the two AirPods 4 variants with ANC being the clear distinction between the two.
Additionally, Gurman also states that Apple will introduce hearing aid functionality through a software update later next year. The tipster also claims that the company plans to offer hearing tests to users to confirm if they are experiencing hearing loss. This move comes after the FDA approved OTC hearing aid sale in 2022, allowing Apple to market AirPods as a hearing aid alternative.
There are also talks of a cheaper $100 AirPods SE and upgraded AirPods Max coming in 2024 as well. While not much is known about the SE model, the AirPods Max is said to come in new colours and feature a USB Type-C port.
