The first time you need to adjust volume, you’ll wish you’d spent that extra $20.
Before yesterday, I wasn’t expecting new AirPods during the iPhone Duo event. When Bloomberg finally committed to an AirPods 5 prediction the morning of the show, I knew the updates would be minor at best. For various reasons, including the lack of spicy rumors, it just didn’t seem like Apple had anything groundbreaking to add to its base-level AirPods lineup. As it turns out, it didn’t.
I will concede that the upgrades to the model that Apple is now calling AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are notable. And doing so for $149 when the comparable AirPods 4 model was $179 is commendable. I already know how much the swipe gestures for volume control will improve the experience. I say this as someone who constantly tries to swipe the stems of the AirPods 4 every time I wear them. I’ve definitely been AirPods Pro-pilled there. Live Translation is also a substantial addition, no doubt about that.
My issue isn’t that the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case exist, it’s that Apple is also selling the “regular” AirPods 5 for only $20 less. Sure, the most affordable model now has active noise cancellation (ANC), Live Translation and the same increased water resistance (IP57) as the new $149 set. (I’ll save any arguments about 50 percent better ANC performance for my upcoming review, but on paper, that enhancement seems modest at first glance.) There simply isn’t enough differentiation between the two models now to warrant the basic set’s existence. And if you don’t want ANC at all, the AirPods 4 are already gone from Apple’s website.
Since that’s the hill I’m willing to die on, I’ll also argue that $20 isn’t enough of a difference to make this a tough decision. Just spend the extra money for all of the added features that the new model with the extremely silly name offers. Trust me, the first time that you need to adjust the volume and swipe on a non-responsive AirPod stem, you will regret not doing so. At some point, that extra hour of battery life will likely come in handy, and it’s a lot more convenient to plop an AirPods case down on a MagSafe or Apple Watch charger than to reach for a USB-C cable. You also never know when you’ll wish your AirPods case had a speaker to assist with Find My search and rescue missions.
The entry point should be a regular AirPods 5 option for $99. A $50 difference makes more sense, and it was the variation between the two models in the AirPods 4 lineup. I would be totally fine with that base version not having ANC to get the price down. In fact, I’d argue Apple would have a more compelling AirPods earbud slate with the normal, non-ANC AirPods 4 at $99, the ANC AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case (which would could thankfully just call AirPods 5) at $149 and the AirPods Pro 3 at $249. Three different enough models at three different enough prices would make a trio where customers would have a decision to make. Plus, that would set things up nicely for the camera-equipped AirPods Pro that are rumored to be coming early next year.
And Apple, please, don’t call them AirPods Pro 4 with Visual Intelligence.
