AirPods 4 Launched! My Thoughts 🤔
Apple has just launched the latest generation of the non-ANC AirPods. The last version came out in 2021 and what I really liked about that version is the sound. I thought it was the best sounding open-fit earbuds at the time.
Now, Apple claims that this new version has improved drivers which makes it sound even better. That alone is already tickling my fancy, but there’s more. The AirPods 4 is also brought up to the AirPods Pro 2’s level in terms of features. It has almost everything, like the H2 chip, Adaptive EQ, Conversation Awareness, Personalised Spatial Audio, both USB-C AND wireless charging along with the little speaker on the case. They’re also claiming better call quality due to improved voice isolation.
If you didn’t like the AirPods Pro’s earplug fit and felt the AirPods 3 was a big compromise for the price, this should bridge the gap. Plus, if you need active noise cancelling, there’s an AirPods 4 model with ANC which costs 50 bucks more.
However, keep in mind that the ANC might not going to be at the level of the AirPods Pro 2. Most likely it’s going to be a milder noise cancelling effect focusing on the low end of the spectrum. That’s because effective ANC requires passive noise isolation, which the AirPods 4 clearly doesn’t. But how close will it be to the AirPods Pro 2 is what I’m curious about.
The AirPods Max was also updated. Now, available in more colours, and more importantly, it now has USB-C charging instead of lightning connector. Although it doesn’t seem like there’s going to be a performance upgrade in terms of ANC or sound, but I have the AirPods Max, so if I do get a unit, I’ll be sure to compare them just in case there’s really is a difference.
Lastly, some new updates are coming to the AirPods Pro 2 which finally completes its transition into a hearing assistant. 3 new features will be added - Hearing Test, to test if your ears are whacked after all those years blasting music into your eardrums. Now you can test it and generate reports anytime within the privacy of the Health app.
If the test shows any issues, Hearing Aid will tap into transparency mode, optimising the sounds that you’re less sensitive to so that you can hear the world around you clearer. Personally, this is useful for me especially with people’s voices because I’m getting old, and my ears are less sensitive in that region now.
Hearing protection which works with Hearing Aid to protect your ears from loud noises. These features are coming with iOS 18, and as someone already turning 40 years old, with a bit of hearing loss in the mids, I am looking forward to testing them.
Furthermore, iOS 18 is also said to improve the AirPods Pro’s mic quality, so that’s double tickling of my fancy. If you have any questions for when I review the new products, let me know in the comments.
(Affiliate Links Disclosure)
When you make a purchase through the Affiliate Links on this site, the site earns a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!
