During Apple’s Surprise and Shine event this Wednesday, the tech giant debuted its next-gen wireless earbuds: the AirPods 5. This new model packs enhancements such as superior sound quality, more powerful active noise suppression, and expanded integration with Siri and Apple Intelligence.
Enhanced active noise cancellation stands out as a headline addition. The company claims the AirPods 5 cut out 50% more ambient sound compared to their predecessor, boasting what Apple describes as “the best active noise cancellation in the industry.”
“We’re excited that active noise cancellation is now a standard feature across our entire AirPods family with the release of AirPods 5. They perfectly demonstrate how we bring breakthrough innovations from our top-tier devices down to the rest of the lineup, opening them up to a wider audience,” CEO John Ternus stated at the keynote.
Apple has also brought touch-based stem volume adjustment to these buds—a capability once exclusive to the AirPods Pro lineup. Now, users can easily adjust audio levels by swiping up or down on the stem directly, bypassing the need to grab their iPhone.
Powered by the H2 chip like its sibling models, AirPods 5 deliver hands-free access to Siri and Apple Intelligence capabilities. Whether you need to ask questions, pull up information, trigger actions, or navigate somewhere, you can speak to Siri completely hands-free.
Designed to understand personal context much better, an upgraded Siri is set to launch in beta alongside iOS 27. By leveraging details from your messages, emails, photos, and various applications, it delivers tailored answers and executes tasks seamlessly—such as pulling up a restaurant referenced in an email or playing a music track suggested in a text.
Furthermore, Transparency mode gets a boost for a clearer, more natural awareness of surrounding voices and sounds. The system’s Adaptive Audio intelligently blends noise cancellation with Transparency mode based on your environment, while Conversation Awareness automatically tones down media volume as soon as you start talking.
Battery performance has also seen an upgrade: AirPods 5 deliver up to five hours of playback on a single charge with ANC turned on. Paired with the charging case, total ANC playback extends to 22 hours.
Pricing for the base AirPods 5 begins at $129, whereas the model equipped with a Wireless Charging Case is set at $149. Orders open today, with official availability starting September 18.
