Two models of AirPods were expected to be announced at today’s iPhone 16 event, one of which will add active noise cancellation (ANC) to the “regular” AirPods for the first time. The $179 version will have other upgrades, but after seeing a quick demo of the AirPods 4’s ANC setup, I think the noise-blocking tool will be the key selling point for most people.
With this version of the AirPods 4, Apple is trying to close the gap between the AirPods and the AirPods Pro. As such, this model has some features that were previously only found on the company’s most expensive earbuds. This includes Siri interaction, which lets you answer or reject calls with a nod, adaptive audio, and voice isolation, all thanks to the H2 chip found in the Pro model. These are all welcome improvements for those who prefer the open fit of the AirPods 4, but for me, the most impressive addition is the ANC.
I got a quick demo of the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation in the crowded hands-on area of Apple Park. Honestly, it’s the perfect place to test ANC. I put the AirPods 4 in my ears, played some music, turned on noise cancellation and quieted the room. And it was nearly silent. I was surprised at how effective the ANC was for earbuds that don’t completely seal in your ears. Most open-back designs with ANC do little to block out ambient noise, but they do affect battery life. Here, I felt like I was alone in a room, and only noticed environmental noise when the Transparency mode brought me back to reality.
Billy Steele (Engadget)
Apple has updated the design of the AirPods 4, calling them “the best-fitting AirPods ever.” This sleek shape helps improve passive noise isolation while leaving your ears open in the default audio mode, in addition to some software tricks and acoustic performance. ANC is another place where Apple can flex the power of the H2 chip, and the AirPods 4’s performance in that regard is a testament to the component’s capabilities.
It’s worth noting that in Transparency mode on the AirPods 4, I didn’t get quite as natural sounding as the AirPods Pro. This is mainly because I felt like my voice wasn’t reaching the earbuds as much as it did on the more expensive models. In fact, it felt like it was barely reaching them at all. An Apple rep explained that this difference could be attributed to a few factors, including the fact that my ears weren’t completely blocked.
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