Apple has officially announced the new generation of its most popular wireless headphones in the world, the AirPods 5, putting an end to the difficult trade-off between the comfort of an open-ear design and external noise cancellation. The new headphones combine the usual lightweight fit with an advanced active noise cancellation experience, along with a qualitative leap in sound quality, support for real-time live translation, and unprecedented interaction with the Siri AI assistant without needing to touch the phone at all.
Superior noise cancellation in an open design and unmatched comfort
AirPods 5 rely on an all-new multi-port acoustic architecture, paired with advanced computational audio algorithms, which allows them to remove up to 50% more external noise compared to the previous generation, AirPods 4, which featured noise cancellation. This shift gives users tangible quiet and higher focus in noisy environments, without the feeling of ear blockage common in headphones with silicone tips.
Apple has not overlooked the importance of staying connected to the surrounding world; it has improved the transparency mode to provide a natural listening experience that conveys the sounds of people and the surroundings with high precision. It also provided the Adaptive Audio feature, which intelligently and dynamically blends noise cancellation and transparency mode based on changes in your location and environment. This integration is completed by the Conversation Awareness feature, which automatically lowers media volume as soon as you start talking to someone nearby, and returns the music to its level as soon as the conversation ends.
Dave Packiola, Apple’s Vice President of Hardware Engineering, emphasized this shift, stating that the company is proud to offer active noise cancellation, which is one of the most favorite features for users in this more affordable category. He noted that the two AirPods 5 models provide a superior listening experience and enable leading technologies such as real-time translation and smart audio capabilities to a wider audience.
Rich sound quality and deep integration with Siri AI
In addition to the multi-port acoustic architecture, Apple has equipped the headphones with the next generation of Adaptive EQ, providing a richer listening experience and deeper musical details that precisely adapt to different ear shapes and sizes. This development is clearly reflected in the Personalized Spatial Audio technology, which has become more immersive and realistic for soundscapes and music.
On the software side, the headphones have become your direct audio gateway to AI capabilities via the Siri AI assistant on iPhones compatible with the Apple Intelligence system. You can now ask Siri to play an audio clip a friend sent you in a chat, or ask for directions to a restaurant based on a booking confirmation message in your email, all with new voices that sound more natural and expressive than ever before.
To enhance the hands-free experience, the interaction with Siri feature allows you to answer calls or notifications with head gestures; a simple nod is enough to accept, or shaking your head to decline an alert. Apple also enabled the Live Translation feature powered by Apple Intelligence, which allows you to hear conversations in your native language directly by pressing both headphone stems simultaneously, giving a voice command to Siri, or customizing the Action button on the iPhone to start translation immediately.
Available options, pricing, and availability
Apple has made the new headphones available in two models to meet user requirements and budgets, with pre-orders officially open before they hit the market on Friday, September 18, in more than 65 countries and regions:
- Standard AirPods 5 model: Available for $129, offering all the audio improvements and the advanced noise cancellation feature.
- AirPods 5 model with wireless charging case: Available for $149, adding wireless charging capability for the case, longer battery life, and the ability to control volume directly by swiping on the headphone stem.
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