Apple AirPods Gen 4 could sport a new design, Active Noise Cancellation

Apple iPhones are no doubt the brand’s most selling products, but the company has set it sights on making its wearables the next big thing in 2024. A new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter details the new products Apple could be launching in 2024, and unsurprisingly we have a new non-Pro AirPods model in the pipeline.

Likely to be named the AirPods Gen 4, the new earbuds are expected to pack a bunch of features and changes that will help set it apart from predecessors. As the report suggests, Apple is looking to give its next vanilla AirPods its own identity among buyers, instead of just having it be the ‘cheaper’ model placed next to the AirPods Pro.

AirPods Gen 4: What to expect?

The next AirPods are expected to pack a new design, which make it look like a little more like the current AirPods Pro. While the addition of silicone ear tips remains a mystery right now, Apple could be making the stems shorter.

ALSO READ: Which AirPods are right for you?

The AirPods Gen 4 will also come in two variants, one more affordable than the other. This is likely to help Apple replace both the AirPods Gen 3 and the older Gen 2, which the brand may discontinue after the new products are launched.

It is expected that the higher-end model among these two will be the one to feature ANC, or Active Noise Cancellation, a feature that Apple has so far only reserved for its AirPods Pro series and the AirPods Max headphones. The addition will, for the first time, let buyers have ANC at a more affordable price point.

Other new features include speakers on the case of the AirPods Gen 4, which will help users play an alert sound and find it using the Find My app. A USB Type-C port is also expected to replace the Lightning port, which shouldn’t come as a surprise after the iPhone 15 series’ switch to the port.

ALSO READ: How to upgrade your AirPods Pro Gen-2 case to USB Type-C

Note that while these leaks stem from a trusted source with a good track record of predicting Apple product features ahead of launch, any last-minute changes to the product or launch timelines are always possible. So, we suggest you take this information with a grain of salt and await official announcements from Apple for more concrete details.