Apple has not officially announced the so-called AirPods 4, but there has been much speculation about the upcoming AirPods overhaul.

Case in point: despite updating its flagship noise-canceling AirPods Pro 2 wireless earphones with USB-C ports at a September event and rolling out Apple's Adaptive Audio suite in iOS 17, Mark Gurman ( Bloomberg's well-connected tech writer) said Apple's AirPods series will receive a full update within the next two years.

Rumors are thin on the ground, but the next-generation AirPods 4 version sounds intriguing. Here's everything we know about Apple's next generation AirPods and what the new wireless earbuds might bring.

So when will the AirPods 4 arrive? The last upgrade to the original AirPods will arrive in 2021 with AirPods 3. Gunman writes that Apple intends to replace both AirPods 2 and the entry-level version of AirPods 3 in 2024.

No further information on a release date is available at this time, but next year is going to be a big year for the Cupertino giant, with the Vision Pro mixed reality headset and new lossless audio protocols also coming to the AirPods Pro 2. The combination of cutting-edge Vision Pro technology and a starting price of $3,500 in a volatile emerging market could unsettle shareholders.

Relying on proven sellers like the new version of the AirPods may be the stabilizing influence Apple needs as it moves into the mixed reality future.

Currently, the most affordable models in the company's four-strong AirPods earphone lineup are the AirPods 3 ($169) and AirPods 2 ($129) non-ANC models. These entry-level models are often regularly sold at discounted prices at online retailers.

There is no clear indication of a price change for the AirPods, but the higher price of the AirPods 3 has caused buyers to either save a few dollars and purchase the AirPods 2 or take a larger step up and pay an additional $80 for the AirPods Pro 2, which is more than expected. Sales appear to have slowed. Given that, Apple may be planning to replace both sets of entry-level earbuds in 2024 and differentiate its pricing structure more.

The design language of Apple's AirPods earphones has evolved little between the five models. Buyers are given a choice in color options for the $549 AirPods Max, but each generation of new AirPods earphones is only available in Apple's trademark white finish, and any kind of personalization is left to the AirPods case's left to customization.

Although not specifically mentioned, transparent or translucent options like the Beats Studio+ (an Apple-owned company, incidentally) would be a big boost for any AirPods model. the AirPods 4 could be suitable for multiple color options. and even better if it works with the new iPhone.

In a Bloomberg report focusing on entry-level earbuds, Gurman says that both will feature a stem and look "like a blend of the third-generation AirPods and the Pro model," but that interchangeable tips will be included in the package Since it is "unlikely" that they will be included, active noise cancellation (ANC) in the so-called AirPods 4 model could be ruled out.

It is reasonable to imagine that the AirPods 4 will incorporate Apple's new H2 chip, first seen in the AirPods Pro 2 released last year. This could help with energy efficiency and processing power, leading in part to the enhanced battery life mentioned above.

Any new entry-level model would be functionally quite similar to the current AirPods 3, but an enhanced AirPods 4 version would include a charging case with speaker for Find My Alerts and of course a USB-C charging port, as well as some Pro The fusion of limited features would blur the lines between the tiers.

It is difficult to gauge the application of the features available in a truncated version of the AirPods, but it would be great if learning and automatic personalization features based on listening habits and preferences could adapt on the fly under certain conditions.

Demand for AirPods in 2023 appears to be depressed, so any new model would need to buoy the sluggish AirPods market. Details are thin on the ground at the moment, but if a version of the Apple AirPods 4 were to appear in 2024, it would not only differentiate the AirPods among models, but would also be a significant challenger in the fiercely contested field of budget wireless earphones.

We will report further information on the AirPods 4 as it becomes available.