During the iPhone 18 Pro event, Apple rolled out a pair of new AirPods 5 units, starting at a lower price.
Live Translation and 50% better Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) are the key features on the new units. Otherwise, the design is very similar, but not identical, to the previous AirPods 4.
"We're thrilled that with AirPods 5, we're able to bring Active Noise Cancellation — one of our most beloved features — to our most affordable AirPods," said Dave Pakula, Apple's vice president of Hardware Engineering in a statement. "Both AirPods 5 models deliver a world-class listening experience and enable features like Live Translation for even more people. Paired with Siri AI, AirPods are a game changer for unlocking powerful hands-free capabilities."
Apple claims to have improved Adaptive EQ through a redesigned acoustic architecture. As well as improving ANC, this new design is said to mean a better Transparency Mode.
This is an existing feature but it's now said to be better at dynamically blending ANC and Transparency depending on the wearer's environment.
New volume control
With the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, the AirPods themselves have been redesigned to include a force sensor. This means that, as with the current AirPods Pro, the wearer can swipe up and down the AirPods stem to control the volume.
That model, AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, costs $149, which is $30 less than the previous mode. The entry-level AirPods 5 is $129.
AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case features the ability to swipe on the AirPods stem to adjust volume - image credit: Apple.
Apple claims that playback with ANC has been improved by an hour, bringing it up to five hours on a single charge.
Preorders start on Saturday for the new units. Shipments start September 18.
