Apple suppliers are reportedly preparing for “the biggest AirPods launch to date.” The company is supposedly planning to produce between 20 million and 25 million units of AirPods 4, a significant jump from previous models.
Apple could launch the AirPods 4 in two flavors later this year: one with ANC and another without. Alongside updated internals, the new earbuds purportedly will sport a sleeker new design.
Big changes coming to Apple AirPods lineup in 2024
Apple made wireless earbuds a popular, mainstream product with the original AirPods back in 2016, and Cupertino continues to lead the market to this day. The company accounts for a whopping 31% of the world market – three times the market share of its closest competitor. But it won’t stay on top without new models.
AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 will get the ax in 2024, to be replaced with a fourth generation that will come in two versions, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. One AirPods 4 model, code-named B768(M), will offer ANC and come with a charging case that supports the Find My app. A cheaper version, code-named B768(E), will not have either feature.
New design for AirPods 4
But both supposedly will get a new design, just probably not one that adds removable silicone ear tips — which will surely limit the effectiveness of ANC. And their charging case will use USB-C in place of the current Lightning port.
Pricing for the higher- and lower-end new versions reportedly will cost about the same as AirPods 2 ($129) and AirPods 3 ($179).
Besides updated hardware, Apple engineers are working on adding new software features to the wireless earbuds. Reportedly, iOS 18 will add hearing aid capabilities to the AirPods Pro. There’s a lack of clarity on how this feature will work, but it should be better than the current Live Listen and Conversation Boost features.
With ANC added, the higher-end AirPods 4 will give tough competition to AirPods Pro 2 ($249). An update for Apple’s pro wireless earbuds is in development, but it’s not expected to arrive until 2025. As per previous reports, the next-gen AirPods Pro will sport a new chip, design and hearing-specific health features.
Rumors of health features coming to Apple’s wireless earbuds have been around for years.
New AirPods Max coming later this year, too
Redesigned AirPods 4 aren’t the only audio upgrade Apple has planned for the year. You should expect AirPods Max 2 to debut in 2024 as well. But the changes supposedly won’t be major. Instead, Apple plans a cosmetic upgrade with new color options, and a USB-C port replacing Lightning. Nothing much else is expected to change. The modest revamp is allegedly coming near the end of 2024.
Update: This article was first published on October 25, 2023. It was updated March 17, 2024, by Rajesh Pandey with new information.
