Apple Prepares AirPods 4 Launch With Two New Variants This Fall Season

AirPods 4 which is likely to be launched in September (photo: dock. apple)

JAKARTA - According to Mark Gurman's latest "Power On" bulletin, Apple is on track to release two new variants of AirPods 4 which are likely to launch next month. These two variants will include an entry level model and a mid tier model, aimed at replacing AirPods 2 and AirPods 3.

Apple has been selling AirPods 2 since early 2019 as an entry level option. AirPods 2 still uses traditional designs and is often sold at prices below 90 US dollars, making it a very affordable choice for those who are new to the world of wireless headphones. Even though they don't have modern features like a newer model, AirPods 2 still serves as basic wireless headphones for use with iPhones.

AirPods 3, which has been available since October 2021, introduced a number of upgrades, including Spatial Audio, a new force sensor on its trunk, charging through Apple Watch on its casing, and an overall vote increase. They launched at a higher price of 179 US dollars, while AirPods 2 were still officially sold at a price of 129 US dollars after AirPods 3 was released.

According to Gurman, AirPods 4 will replace the two models, with an entry level model replacing AirPods 2 and a mid tier model replacing AirPods 3. These two variants will have similar designs, with one main difference: active noise cancellation.

Gurman said that the mid tier version of AirPods 4 will have an active noise cancellation feature, while the entry level version is not. It should be noted that this mid tier version of AirPods is not the same as AirPods Pro 3, which Gurman said would not get an update until later.

Both versions of AirPods 4 are likely to switch to USB-C. It is estimated that the entry level version of AirPods 4 will not support wireless charging, while the mid tier model will support it. Apple previously followed this strategy with AirPods 2 and AirPods 3, so it is likely that they will continue with the same strategy for the new AirPods.

It's still unclear how Apple will name this new AirPods. Maybe they will use names like "AirPods Lite" for entry level versions and "AirPods 4" for mid tier versions. We'll find out soon when the official launch is done.