Device hub · Earbuds · Desk research
AirPods 4
AirPods 4 is the 2024 open-ear stem with an H2 chip and a real SKU split: $129 has no ANC; $179 adds ANC, Transparency, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation (with an Apple Intelligence iPhone), and a wireless case speaker.
Product images
Placeholder — OEM press not licensedAirPods 4
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
Placeholder — OEM press not licensedAirPods 4
Credit: GadgetShowdown labeled placeholder (not an Apple asset). View official product image
Studio still only. Manufacturer press JPEGs are not hosted here. See the official product page for the real product photo.
In short
AirPods 4 is the 2024 open-ear stem with an H2 chip and a real SKU split: $129 has no ANC; $179 adds ANC, Transparency, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Live Translation (with an Apple Intelligence iPhone), and a wireless case speaker. It is not Pro-class Hearing Aid hardware. AirPods 5 is now the current open-ear — keep this hub anyway.
Who it is for
- iPhone owners who want the 2024 open-ear stem — no silicone tips — and will check which of the two 2024 boxes they are buying.
- Shoppers who specifically need the $129 USB-C AirPods 4 without ANC, or leftover $179 ANC stock, rather than AirPods 5.
- People who already know Hearing Test / Hearing Aid / Hearing Protection live on AirPods Pro 2 and later, not on this hub.
- Writers cloning an open-ear earbuds-v1 record. Do not skip this page because AirPods 5 exists.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants ANC on every box. That is AirPods 5 (both SKUs) or a sealed Pro — not the $129 AirPods 4.
- Buyers who need FDA-authorized Hearing Aid / Hearing Test. Apple lists those on AirPods Pro 2 and later, not on Support 121203 / 121204.
- Android-first buyers who want LDAC, SSC, or a first-class Google / Samsung app. Apple lists Bluetooth use on non-Apple devices with limited functionality.
- Anyone who hates an open-ear stem. AirPods 4 has no tips; Pro 3 is the sealed in-ear.
Key differentiators
- Two case SKUs, one hub: $129 AirPods 4 (no ANC; USB-C only; up to 5h / 30h) versus $179 AirPods 4 with ANC (Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness; up to 4h ANC / 20h with case; wireless case + speaker).
- First open-ear AirPods generation with an optional ANC SKU. H2, Adaptive EQ, Personalized Spatial Audio, and Voice Isolation sit on both boxes.
- IP54 on buds and case (IEC 60529 footnote on Support). Live Translation is an ANC-SKU + Apple Intelligence iPhone footnote — not a base-SKU row.
- apple.com/airpods-4/ redirects to AirPods 5 as of 2026-09-19. Support 121203 / 121204 remain the spec sheets.
Caveats
- Every numeric battery hour and ANC marketing line is an Apple claim. GadgetShowdown has not lab-tested AirPods 4. Do not invent dB.
- The $129 and $179 boxes are not the same product for noise control. Copy Support 121203 for base and 121204 for ANC — do not average them.
- Hearing Aid / Test / Protection are not on these Support pages. Do not copy Pro 2 / Pro 3 hearing_health into this hub.
- Apple product photography is not hosted here. Third-party IP guidelines and Newsroom “editorial use” language do not give a commercial gadget site a clear redistribution license.
Earbud-category specs
Same manufacturer rows on every earbud page.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Open-ear stem (no silicone tips) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204; AirPods compare |
| Fit / tips / wings | One-size open-ear stem; no interchangeable tips or wings | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Driver / acoustic architecture (OEM) | Custom high-excursion Apple driver; custom high dynamic range amplifier; Adaptive EQ; vent system for pressure equalization | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Chip / processor | Apple H2 headphone chip (both SKUs). No Ultra Wideband chip listed in. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Active noise cancellation (OEM) | SKU split. AirPods 4 (Support 121203): no Active Noise Cancellation on the audio list. AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (Support 121204 / compare): Active Noise Cancellation; Adaptive Audio. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204; AirPods compareDo not write ANC onto the $129 box. No invented dB. |
| Transparency / ambient (OEM) | SKU split. Base (121203): not published. ANC SKU (121204): Transparency mode; Conversation Awareness. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Spatial / 360 audio (OEM) | Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ (both SKUs) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204TrueDepth iPhone required to create the personal profile. Compatible content / apps only. |
| Hearing features (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 121203 / 121204; AirPods compare Hearing Health rowAccessibility lists Live Listen, Headphone levels, and Headphone Accommodations — not Pro-class Hearing Aid. |
| Battery — buds (OEM) | Base (Support 121203): up to 5 hours of listening. ANC SKU (Support 121204): up to 4 hours with ANC enabled; up to 5 hours with noise control off. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204Apple July–August 2024 test footnotes (256 kbps AAC, 50% volume, preproduction iPhone 16 Pro Max). |
| Battery — with case (OEM) | Base: up to 30 hours with the USB-C case. ANC SKU: up to 20 hours with ANC enabled; up to 30 hours with noise control off. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Charging (OEM) | USB-C on both cases (cable sold separately). 5 minutes in the case ≈ 1 hour of listening (both SKUs). | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Wireless charging | SKU split. Base: no — USB-C only. ANC SKU: Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified chargers (plus USB-C). | Apple Support 121203 / 121204; AirPods compare |
| Water / dust — buds | IP54 (IEC 60529) — dust, sweat, and water resistant for non-water sports and exercise | Apple Support 121203 footnoteNot permanent. Do not charge wet. Not a swim bud. |
| Water / dust — case | IP54 — Support footnote: products including the charging case were tested to IP54 under IEC 60529 | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 footnotes |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Codecs (OEM) | Not published | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 footnotesApple’s battery footnotes use 256 kbps AAC test tracks. Do not invent LDAC. |
| Microphones / calls (OEM) | Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone; Voice Isolation (both SKUs; iOS 18+ / latest firmware footnote) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| On-bud controls | Force sensor: press once play/pause/answer / camera remote; press twice skip / end call; press three times skip back; press and hold for Siri; “Hey Siri” / “Siri”; Siri Interactions (nod yes / shake no). No stem volume swipe. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Multipoint / device switching | Automatic switching across devices on the same Apple Account (compare). Not a named Android-style two-device multipoint toggle. | Apple AirPods compare / product language |
| Sensors (OEM) | Dual beamforming microphones; inward-facing microphone; optical in-ear sensor; motion-detecting accelerometer; speech-detecting accelerometer; force sensor | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Weight — one bud | 4.3 g (0.15 oz) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Weight — case | 32.3 g (1.14 oz) USB-C case (base); 34.7 g (1.22 oz) USB-C case with speaker (ANC SKU) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Dimensions — one bud | 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm (H × W × D) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Dimensions — case | 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm (H × W × D) | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Finishes | Support 121203 / 121204 do not print a colorway list (accessed 2026-09-19). Product photography is white. Compare Midnight / Starlight / Blue / Purple / Orange swatches belong to other AirPods (e.g. Max) — do not copy them here. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204; AirPods compare |
| Phone / OS compatibility | Latest iOS / iPadOS / watchOS / macOS / tvOS / visionOS for full features. Usable as Bluetooth headphones on earlier Apple OS and non-Apple devices with limited functionality. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Find / Fast Pair / UWB | Find My. ANC SKU case includes a speaker for Find My proximity view; Find My functionality requires iOS 26 or later (121204 footnote, accessed 2026-09-19). Base case: no speaker on Support 121203. No UWB chip listed. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Companion app / firmware | iOS Settings (no third-party app). Firmware via Apple OS updates. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| US MSRP (launch) | $129 (AirPods 4) / $179 (AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation) | Apple Newsroom 2024-09-09Apple Newsroom, 9 September 2024. Street prices go stale; re-check on write day. |
| Price band | Midrange true-wireless ($100–$200 US launch) | Derived from Apple $129 / $179 start |
| Announced | 9 September 2024 | Apple Newsroom |
| Availability | Leftover / year introduced 2024 (Support 121203). apple.com/airpods merchandises AirPods 5, Pro 3, and Max 2 as of 2026-09-19 re-check. Compare HTML still carries AirPods 4 / AirPods 4 with ANC columns. AirPods 5 is the current open-ear — this hub stays. | Apple Support 121203; AirPods compare; apple.com/airpods-4/ redirect |
AirPods 4 extras
Unique to this line or SKU. Other earbuds keep the first table aligned and swap this extras list.
| Attribute | Value | Source / note |
|---|---|---|
| SKU split (one hub) | Not published | Apple Newsroom 2024-09-09; Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Live Translation | ANC SKU only. Support 121204: Live Translation with AirPods works on AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2 and later with latest firmware when paired with an Apple Intelligence–enabled iPhone running iOS 26+. Beta; not all regions/languages. Not listed on Support 121203 (base). | Apple Support 121204 footnote; AirPods Pro 3 spec footnote |
| Conversation Awareness | ANC SKU only (Support 121204; iOS 18+ / latest firmware). Lowers media when you start speaking (Apple’s product language). Not on the base Support 121203 audio list. | Apple Support 121204 |
| Adaptive Audio | ANC SKU only. Dynamically blends Transparency and ANC (Apple’s product / compare language). Requires AirPods 4 with ANC + latest firmware / iOS 18+ footnote. | Apple Support 121204; AirPods compare |
| Identify | AirPods 4 — year introduced 2024 (Support 121203). AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation — year introduced 2024 (Support 121204). | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| In the box | Base: AirPods 4; Charging Case (USB-C); documentation. ANC SKU: AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation; Charging Case (USB-C) with speaker; documentation. USB-C charge cable sold separately on both Support pages. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Recycled content (OEM) | Support (as of product launch): 100% recycled tin / gold / copper plating salts on multiple boards; 100% recycled rare earths in all magnets; 50% recycled plastic in three parts; 100% fiber-based packaging. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204Manufacturer materials claim. Do not convert this into an independent carbon score. |
| Camera remote | Press once for camera remote on compatible devices running iOS 26 / iPadOS 26 or later when paired with AirPods 4 or AirPods 4 with ANC | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Accessibility features | Live Listen, Headphone levels, Headphone Accommodations. Not Hearing Test / Hearing Aid / Hearing Protection. | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Siri Interactions | Nod yes or gently shake no when Siri asks to answer a call, hear a text, manage notifications, and more (iOS 18+ / latest firmware; both SKUs). | Apple Support 121203 / 121204 |
| Find My case speaker | ANC SKU charging case includes a speaker for Find My proximity view. Base USB-C case: not listed on Support 121203. | Apple Support 121204 |
Overview
AirPods 4 is the September 2024 open-ear stem. Apple’s own framing was two models of one design: a $129 USB-C box without Active Noise Cancellation, and a $179 box that adds ANC, Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness, a wireless case, and a Find My speaker. Both SKUs share H2, the custom high-excursion driver, Adaptive EQ, Personalized Spatial Audio, Voice Isolation, IP54, and the 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm / 4.3 g bud.
This hub exists so later earbud writers can clone one honest device record instead of re-deriving AirPods 4 from vs-page drafts or from an AirPods 5 redirect. The first spec table is earbuds-v1 — the same keys belong on AirPods 1, Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM5, and Pixel Buds Pro. It is not a sitewide gadget schema and it is not watches-v1. Comparison URLs stay on their own -vs- slugs under /earbuds/…. This page’s public path is locked at /earbuds/airpods-4/.
We do not claim we wore these on a commute. Where Apple’s compare table later uses multipliers on other models, we do not invent a dB chart for AirPods 4.
Fit, tips, and form factor
AirPods 4 is an open-ear stem. Support lists no tip sizes. That is the fit story versus AirPods Pro 3, which is a sealed in-ear with five foam-infused tip sizes.
For comparison writers: bud dimensions are 30.2 × 18.3 × 18.1 mm, 4.3 g; USB-C case 46.2 × 50.1 × 21.2 mm. The ANC case is the same size and 34.7 g; the base case is 32.3 g. AirPods 5 later reprints the same bud and case millimeters — quote both sheets; do not assume identical internals.
ANC, transparency, and spatial (OEM claims only)
Copy Apple’s names. Do not invent dB.
- Base SKU: no ANC, no Transparency, no Adaptive Audio on Support 121203. Spatial + Adaptive EQ still apply.
- ANC SKU: Active Noise Cancellation + Adaptive Audio on the first table. Transparency + Conversation Awareness on the transparency row.
- Personalized Spatial Audio + Adaptive EQ on both SKUs. TrueDepth profile required; compatible content only.
- Voice Isolation sits with the microphones row — it is not a substitute for a codec list.
A Sony page keeps the same anc key and writes QN3e / Adaptive NC Optimizer. A first-gen AirPods page writes No.
Battery and charging (OEM table only)
Copy this table, do not invent rundown curves:
| Mode (Apple’s words) | Base (121203) | ANC SKU (121204) |
|---|---|---|
| Listening, noise control off / no ANC listed | Up to 5 hours | Up to 5 hours (noise control off) |
| Listening with ANC | — | Up to 4 hours |
| With case, noise control off / no ANC listed | Up to 30 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| With case, ANC | — | Up to 20 hours |
| Fast charge | 5 minutes ≈ 1 hour | 5 minutes ≈ 1 hour |
In the box: buds, USB-C case (speaker only on ANC), documentation. USB-C cable sold separately. Wireless charging is Watch or Qi on the ANC case only.
ANC, fit, and battery
anc, fit_system, and battery_buds are earbuds-v1 rows: every later earbud page should fill them, even when the OEM only publishes “IPX4” or “not listed.”
AirPods 4’s fit is the tip-less stem + IP54 story. Battery is the 5 / 30 table on base and the 4 / 5 / 20 / 30 table on ANC. Do not merge those into one invented “up to 5 / 30 with optional ANC” sentence without naming the SKU.
Codecs, Bluetooth, and switching
Apple printed Bluetooth 5.3 and used AAC tracks in the battery footnote. It did not print LDAC, LC3, or SSC on the Support sheets we pulled. Keep codecs and write “not published.” Automatic switching is the Apple Account behavior, not a two-device Android multipoint toggle — keep multipoint and say so.
Hearing features and what not to invent
hearing_health stays on the first table so later Pro / Sony / Pixel pages share the slot. This hub’s fill is not published / not the FDA Hearing Aid feature. Live Translation is an extra because it is Apple Intelligence + iPhone software on the ANC SKU only.
Software, Find My, and compatibility
Full features: latest Apple OS family. Find My speaker is the ANC case. Apple’s 121204 footnote we pulled says Find My functionality requires iOS 26 or later — quote it. Camera remote is iOS 26+ on both SKUs.
Price and SKUs
US launch is $129 / $179 (Newsroom, 9 September 2024). Engraving is a store extra. Year introduced 2024 on Support 121203 / 121204.
Do not invent independent scores, Amazon star averages, or “we wore them for a week.” If you need a winner against AirPods 5 or Pro 3, that is a future /earbuds/…-vs-…/ page — this hub only describes one named product.
Sources
- Apple Newsroom — Introducing AirPods 4 and a hearing health experience with AirPods Pro 2 — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — AirPods 4 tech specs (121203) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple Support — AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation tech specs (121204) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple — AirPods compare — accessed 2026-09-19
- Apple — Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Why is there one hub for $129 and $179?
Apple sold two case SKUs of the same named model. Schema rule: two case SKUs of the same named product share one hub. The extras table (`sku_split`) and the battery / ANC / wireless-charging rows carry both Support sheets. Do not invent a vs-page that is only “AirPods 4 vs AirPods 4 with ANC” unless that page is written later as its own slug.
Does the $129 AirPods 4 have ANC?
No. Support 121203’s audio list does not include Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency, or Conversation Awareness. Those names appear on Support 121204 for AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.
Does AirPods 4 have Hearing Aid?
Not as the FDA-authorized Hearing Test / Hearing Aid / Hearing Protection stack. Those features are listed on AirPods Pro 2 and later. Support 121203 / 121204 list Live Listen, Headphone levels, and Headphone Accommodations. Do not copy Pro hearing_health into this hub.
Can AirPods 4 do Live Translation?
The ANC SKU can, with an Apple Intelligence–enabled iPhone (iOS 26+), latest firmware — Support 121204 and the Pro 3 spec footnote. The base Support 121203 page does not list Live Translation. Beta; not all regions or languages.
Did apple.com/airpods-4/ disappear?
As of 19 September 2026 the product URL redirects to AirPods 5. Compare still lists both AirPods 4 SKUs. Support 121203 and 121204 remain the spec sheets. This hub is additive leftover coverage — do not skip it because AirPods 5 is current.
Does AirPods 4 work without an iPhone?
As Bluetooth headphones, yes, with limited functionality. Personalized Spatial Audio, Live Translation, automatic switching, and Find My sit inside Apple’s OS matrix. Do not describe AirPods 4 as a first-class Android bud.
Did Apple publish a codec list?
Not on Support 121203 / 121204 we pulled on 19 September 2026. Battery footnotes use 256 kbps AAC test tracks. Keep the codecs row and write “not published” rather than inventing LDAC.
Is the USB-C cable in the box?
No. Both Support pages say the USB-C charge cable is sold separately. The box is buds, the matching USB-C case (speaker only on the ANC SKU), and documentation.
Is the case water resistant?
Support’s IP54 footnote says products including the charging case were tested to IP54 under IEC 60529. That is Apple’s lab rating for non-water sports and exercise — not a swim case, and not permanent.
Official product page: AirPods 4. Tech specs: AirPods 4 specs.