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AirPods 4 to Get New Design, Updated Case, and Active Noise Cancellation

I have the 1st gen Pro's. The ear tip test at first worked with the medium tips but after like a month that test fails since then no matter what size tips I use or how I adjust them in my ears. Do you have to pass that test for ANC to work?
Other than that issue they sound great.
 
Well I hope they make it easier to have the batteries exchanged without creating a mountain of white plastic. If they do any redesign whatsoever, this has to be a serious consideration.

I love my apple devices but sustainability and repairability has to become a much higher priority. Even Microsoft has teardown tutorials for its latest devices.
 
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tothemoonsands said:
Patiently awaiting new AirPods. I have the original AirPod Pros, and I simply do not like having silicone tips. It's a deal breaker for me. Having ANC on regular AirPods would be great, even if it doesn't work quite as well due to a weaker ear seal.
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They wouldn't want to risk selling something that doesnt quite work as well... as in their eyes it would be a load of customers returning them to store saying the ANC isn't working well.
 
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Just make it black!

2.jpg
 
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I got AirPods Pro because the regular AirPods, the original, fell out of my ears…

Now if the new version has eartios like the Pro, I will consider them. Dont really need ANC (I always use transparency) and I still have my QC35 for travel which are better for noise cancellation (aka babies crying) on airplanes.
 
Populus said:
PS: if Apple adds the silicone tips, and aren’t optional but a requirement for wearing them, I’ll get a pair of AirPods 3. No problem.
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Same here. If they add silicone tips, I am not buying that, they are incredibly uncomfortable.

I had to return my AirPods Pro in favor of the AirPods 3, not only are they more comfortable to wear, they sound louder.
 
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PsykX said:
Do they do this now ?

I have both and I'd say the AirPods Pro are much more prone to fall of my ears than AirPods 3... I actually like AirPods 3 more.
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It doesn't take a scientist or require research to know that ears (and ear canals) come in billions of different shapes and sizes.

Of course, they are, at large, similar enough that we can almost all find a pair of headphones or earbuds that fit.

But they are still different enough to a point where discussing what "should" fit everyone doesn't make sense.

This is why Apple must keep non in-ear earbuds in their line-up and (ideally) should keep even the 2nd and 3rd Gen. AirPods after 4th Gen. drops (unless 4th Gen. is the same fit as 3rd Gen.)

All the great tech and latest specs don't matter if you can't wear them comfortably for hours on end.
 
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Putting good use of the million obsolete stocks of Airpods Pro Lightning variant.
 
Just some wishful thinking.
Hope they come up with a design with ANC, but at the same time not completely stuffing in the ear canal.
It is quite uncomfortable with the in ear canal design, because each step I take is getting transmitted to the ear.
At the same time, needed the ANC as the background noise is way too loud to the point where the watch had been warning me every single time.
 
How is it streamlining the available options if Apple replaces AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 with *two different* models at *two different* pricepoints?
 
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tothemoonsands said:
Patiently awaiting new AirPods. I have the original AirPod Pros, and I simply do not like having silicone tips. It's a deal breaker for me. Having ANC on regular AirPods would be great, even if it doesn't work quite as well due to a weaker ear seal.
Click to expand...
If the the 4th generation AirPods get ANC, I think there’s a good chance they’ll get the silicone tips. ANC is pretty useless without a good ear seal. Unless it’s some kind of hybrid where you can remove the silicone tips or something if you don’t need effective ANC?
 
MacRumors said:


Apple in 2024 will introduce a fourth-generation version of the AirPods with a number of new features to make the earbuds more appealing to consumers, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated today in his weekly Power On newsletter.

AirPods-Fourth-Generation-Feature-Purple-Triad.jpg

There will be two versions of the AirPods 4 that are available at two different price points, with Apple aiming to replace both the AirPods 3 and the lower-priced AirPods 2 that it continues to sell. As of now, there is little difference between the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 beyond the design, which Gurman says is confusing to customers and costs Apple money when consumers opt for the cheaper model.

AirPods 4 will streamline the available AirPods options. The earbuds will feature an updated design, which Gurman outlined in October. The new AirPods are expected to look like a cross between the current AirPods and the AirPods Pro, with shorter stems. Fit is expected to be improved, but it is as of yet unclear if Apple will add silicone ear tips.

A redesigned case will include speakers for Find My alerts, and a USB-C charging port rather than a Lightning port. The higher-end version of the AirPods will feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which has to date been limited to the AirPods Pro. It will allow customers to get ANC at a more affordable price point.

In a software update coming later next year, Apple will add hearing aid functionality, allowing AirPods to serve as an over-the-counter (OTC) hearing alternative to traditional hearing aids. The FDA in 2022 approved OTC hearing aid options, paving the way for Apple to market the AirPods for hearing loss. Gurman has said that Apple also plans to offer hearing tests that would tell AirPods users if they are experiencing hearing loss.

The AirPods 4 will launch in 2024, perhaps around September when Apple unveils new iPhone models. Apple is also planning for a new version of the AirPods Max in 2024, but the update will be limited to new colors and the addition of a USB-C charging port.

Apple's more expensive AirPods Pro will be refreshed in 2025, with Apple set to introduce an updated design "focused on comfort" and a faster chip.

Article Link: AirPods 4 to Get New Design, Updated Case, and Active Noise Cancellation
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4th gen of the earbuds fit that make me wonder: Am I an alien, or is everyone else an alien?

- Team EarPods Pro.
 
I'm very interested in the possibility of Air Pods that are also quality hearing aids, with a method of testing and adjusting for an individual's hearing characteristics. My current aids cost $2600, which is on the low end of current prices, so Air Pods may be a much more affordable option.
 
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There is absolutely no chance at all that having let the Air Pod Maxes slip behind one generation, they wait until the end of next year, when the current model will then be 2 generations behind, to merely update the color and switch to USB-C. Very much expect there to be a full overhaul at that point...if not, that would be incredible. I'd like to buy a pair but certainly not right before they're updated.
 
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I really prefer the fit of gen 1/2 over 3. Hope they try going for that fit again and that they keep one model without silicone/foam/garbage tips in their lineup.
 
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airpods came out the gate so strong and now they’re my least favorite headphones i own. the microphones don’t last and the automatic device switching often messes up in incredibly frustrating ways. for the price they should be so much better.
 
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With two versions of the 4th generation, at least one of them will be priced at $199. It could be $179 & $199
 
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