Apple has introduced AirPods 5, bringing active noise cancellation to its standard open ear earbud design. The refreshed hardware features a multiport acoustic architecture, hands free access to Siri AI, and live language translation. Pricing begins at $129 for the entry model, while an upgraded version with stem volume swipe controls and a wireless charging case retails for $149.
Open ear earbuds usually struggle to block ambient sound. Apple wants to change that. According to an official press release from Apple, the active noise cancellation system in AirPods 5 removes up to 50% more outside noise than the previous AirPods 4 with ANC. This improvement relies on reengineered computational audio algorithms and a multiport acoustic structure inspired by AirPods Pro 3. The design vents pressure differently, helping the drivers deliver cleaner bass and clearer high frequencies across different ear shapes.
Software features help manage how outside sound enters your ears. Transparency mode has been tuned to sound more natural when listening to voices nearby. Adaptive Audio balances cancellation and passthrough automatically as your environment gets louder or quieter. If you start talking to someone, Conversation Awareness immediately dips your media volume so you can speak without pulling an earbud out.
The earbuds integrate directly with Apple Intelligence on supported phones running iOS 27. Users can control tools without touching their screens. Siri AI can pull context from text messages, locate emails, or trigger app actions through voice commands. The assistant also recognizes subtle head movements. Nodding your head answers incoming calls, while shaking your head declines them.
Live Translation is another major addition. By pressing both stems together or asking Siri, users can hear real time spoken translations directly in their ears. Dave Pakula, the vice president of Hardware Engineering at Apple, highlighted the importance of bringing these tools to entry level hardware.
Both AirPods 5 models deliver a world class listening experience and enable features like Live Translation for even more people. Paired with Siri AI, AirPods are a game changer for unlocking powerful hands free capabilities.
Apple is selling 2 distinct versions of the hardware. The base $129 edition includes the core acoustic upgrades and active noise cancellation. Stepping up to the $149 model adds a wireless charging case and a force sensor that lets you swipe up or down on the stem to change volume. The wireless case charges via USB C, Qi charging mats, or Apple Watch pucks.
Battery performance gets a modest boost. The wireless charging model delivers up to 5 hours of listening time with noise cancellation enabled on 1 charge, which is 1 hour longer than before. Total playback reaches 22 hours when using the case. Both variants feature improved resistance to water, sweat, and dust. The construction uses 40% recycled materials overall, including 100% recycled cobalt in the battery and 70% recycled plastic inside the case. Pre orders are open now across more than 65 countries, with retail store stock landing next week.
