Launched at a price of ₹17,900, the AirPods 4 ANC demonstrates Apple’s engineering prowess that combines audio and usefulness in an open ear type structure. During the recent iPhone 16 launch event seen on September, a new lineup of Airpods 4 was presented which consists of standard and premium versions, while the latter is embedded with active noise cancellation (ANC) technology that enhances sound output while using it – which is useful for audiophiles as a dedicated noise cancellation feature is included in it.
Construction and Comfort
Weighing in at 34.7 grams, the AirPods 4 ANC are lightweight enough and comfortable enough to be worn for a long time and are easy to transport. Being ip54, they are also deemed resistant towards splash and dust particles, but, they are not work out friendly, which is not a surprise as the product is designed primarily to be an everyday appliance. Apple has spent extensive resources into designing the Airpods, conducting research that entails looking into thousands of ear shapes to ensure the design is efficient. I would say the hold was quite strong during casual activities, however, I did observe a little move during vigorous workouts, which could have been avoided if the use of silicone tips was adopted.
In the latest model, the force sensitive short stems are still retained, but now users can accept calls or pause the music with Airpods on. On the contrary – to adjust the volume of the earbud, you must use Siri as it doesn’t have a volume control setting, like the on-device controlling options. For many users this could be a nuisance as most people would rather make manual adjustments.
Environmental Aspects and Sound Quality
It Appears, the AirPods 4 ANC are all set to launch with a new acoustics chamber that incorporates a low-distortion driver, a construction that ensures a balanced sound reproduction across all frequencies. Although the designed pressure differential amplifier is likely to ok the difference existing an improvement on audio quality, The Personalized Spatial Audio, featuring dynamic head tracking will be something close to immersive magic experience. Apple products have always been better in terms of ambient noise cancellation and this time it would not be any different, even more so when music was being played back or there were calls to be attended to in a place disturbed with noise.
Dual beamforming microphones have been incorporated to help resolve the users voice when on call making it stand out amidst other sounds. From my experience, the AirPods seems to perform quite well in noisey places, providing good sound from the microphone that could be heard on the other end of voice communication. During calls in outdoor environments, there are situations where spatial audio and motion sensors work in synergy to redirect my focus on the speaker alone.
Convenience and Feature Availability
The new H2 chipset not only expands possibilities, but enhances user experience as well. Loss of audio clarity when on a call can also be mitigated with the help of the Voice Isolation technology, call controls through head gestures are even more interesting. Finger sensors on the stems enable users to control playback and Siri, but as I predicted, many users may not find this feature so useful due to the absence of direct volume control available to them. Still Apple devices when used under unpredictable conditions AOC adjustments with reference to the location’s noise is a crucial feature for people who change their location often throughout the day.
Absolutely, the first thing I detected was that the new AirPods have more functionalities at their disposal. As you mention, the new AirPods have ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) and a new charging-case design which should affect the general usability and overall user experience of the new AirPods. To say that the ANC is seamless and user-friendly would be an understatement. On certain occasions, you may hear a bit of a stutter in the accent while using Siri for voice requests, prompting me to ask the same thing again and again.
Battery Life and Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
I needed to charge my AirPods at the beginning, and it was also worth noticing how Apple’s charging capabilities are generous. They haven’t quite outdone themselves in terms of charging being “better” in comparison to other competitors – it actually does add a few hours to the earbuds battery life. The brand new charging case has been shrunk by 10%, and it manages to support USB-C, Apple Watch, and Qi-approved chargers, additionally allowing up to 30 hours of battery life which supports my point which I previously made. With the ANC feature powered, my ear buds performed decently by providing 3.5-4 hours which is reasonably expected to be the standard unless tipped silicone devices. I’m sure that you won’t rely on ANC as much with these new AirPods due to its impressive noise cancelling capabilities, that will pretty much support your day to day requirements. All of this is nicely wrapped up with Purchase Awareness which does exactly what the name suggests, and Conversation awareness for when you actually have to converse. Therefore, the adjustment of ANC/Audible Music is done with ease, and you end up finding yourself liking the bolstered Active Noise Cancellation features even more.
Conclusion
For Apple enthusiasts like myself, the AirPods 4 ANC accommodates all the features and even more that encourage you to go out of your comfort zone by providing greater audio, enhanced feel, and thicker padding that enhance smart features and adjustable cues as all the nuances have been accounted for while designing the ears. Except for the fact that they have not added direct volume controls which is a small compromise, I on the contrary believe that the overall performance of the new AirPods, especially digital deafening using ANC, brings a new wave to Apple’s audio line.
