Apple is planning to release two versions of its fourth-generation AirPods, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, one of which will have active noise cancellation while the other won’t.
If Gurman’s information is accurate, that means we’ll have AirPods (4th generation) without ANC, AirPods (4th generation) with ANC, and the existing AirPods Pro that already have ANC. Sure, it feels a little messy, but at least it’s not as hard to pick one compared to Apple’s iPad lineup.
WORTH THE UPGRADE?
Apple will try to avoid mistakes with the third-gen AirPods which may have looked more like the AirPods Pro but don’t come with ANC. They also didn’t offer that much of an upgrade from their predecessor.
With the upcoming fourth-gen AirPods, Apple is expected to update the earbud design, revamp the case, and include USB-C charging, according to Gurman. We’re expecting Apple to skip out on some Pro features for its fourth-gen AirPods like Adaptive Audio or Transparency Mode, so it doesn’t completely make the AirPods Pro obsolete.
Along with the next-gen AirPods, Gurman reported that Apple may be introducing hearing aid functionality to its AirPods. Apple is planning to introduce this feature sometime in 2024 via a software update, according to Gurman.
CAN’T COMPLAIN ABOUT CHEAPER ANC
There aren’t any pricing details about Apple’s upcoming fourth-gen AirPods yet, but we’re expecting the version without ANC to fall somewhere around the current $169 price of the third-gen AirPods. It would make sense for Apple to bump up the price a little with the ANC-equipped model.
Still, Apple offering its solid ANC at a more affordable price point is good news. It’s nice knowing that we may not have to pay $250 for AirPods Pro just to block out distracting background noise. If you’re loyal to the AirPods Pro, you may be left waiting until 2025 for a refresh.
