Apple launches AirPods 5 with upgraded ANC, water resistance and wireless charging
Apple's new AirPods 5 add active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, IP57 water resistance and a wireless-charging case, with two price tiers at $129 and $149.
Apple introduced the second-generation AirPods, branded AirPods 5, featuring active noise cancellation (ANC) and a new multi-port acoustic architecture that the company says delivers "richer, more detailed sound" and blocks about 50% more noise than the previous AirPods 4. Both models received an upgrade to IP57 water resistance, allowing submersion up to one meter for 30 minutes, and the H2 chip powers enhanced features such as Live Translation.
The higher-priced version, priced at $149, includes a wireless-charging case, swipeable volume controls, audible Find My alerts and up to five hours of listening time with ANC enabled (seven hours without). The lower-priced $129 model offers similar ANC performance but lacks the wireless-charging case and swipe gestures, providing up to four hours of use with ANC.
Apple also extended battery life for both earbuds and cases, promising an hour of emergency use after five minutes of charging. The company notes that the new ANC algorithms and Adaptive EQ adjustments improve performance in noisy environments, though human speech remains less attenuated.
"The upgrades are due in part to a new multiport acoustic architecture," Apple explained.
The AirPods 5 support Live Translation via Siri, with the translation audio lowered to allow the user to hear the converted speech. Users can activate the feature by holding both stems or through the Translate app on an iPhone.
Analysts note that the $20 price gap between the two models may influence consumer choice, as the premium version adds wireless charging and volume-control gestures while retaining the same core audio and ANC improvements.