The Apple AirPods 5 may launch in 2027
If you own an iPhone, chances are you already own a pair of AirPods. After all, their seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem is a major benefit of investing in the brand. AirPods also provide access to some of the company’s best features, including spatial audio with head tracking, automatic device pairing, and the Siri voice assistant. The AirPods 4 are Apple’s latest affordable installment, featuring an unsealed fit to maintain situational awareness. They also use Apple’s H2 chip and enjoy gesture controls, Personalized Volume, and Audio Sharing capabilities.
The AirPods Pro 3 launched in September 2025, bringing many advanced features, including hearing aid functionality and heart-rate monitoring. Could the Apple AirPods 5 follow a similar path? Read on for all the features I want to see in the Apple AirPods 5.
Attachable ear hooks
The improved design yields results in our labs, although the drawbacks of an unsealed design persist.
Open-ear buds are not my thing, but they are undoubtedly popular among athletes and those who prefer an unoccluded fit. For example, cycling on a busy road is much safer with your ears open. The lack of ear tips also means pressure is less likely to build up in the ear canal. Theoretically, unsealed buds should be more comfortable and easier to wear than their in-ear counterparts. This can be a boon for those prone to ear fatigue, provided you can obtain a good fit.
The Apple AirPods 4 are extremely lightweight at just 4.3g per bud. They also feature a new and improved design that better emulates real ear shapes. The snag is that the one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work with all ear shapes. While sealed buds package several ear tip sizes to accommodate different ears, unsealed buds have no such offering. The Apple AirPods 5 could enjoy a better fit with attachable ear hooks. Like the Nothing Ear (Open), these could wrap around the back of the ear, positioning the drivers near the ear canal without blocking environmental sounds. Given that you can already purchase third-party accessories for the AirPods 4, this seems a logical next step for the AirPods 5.
Volume sliders
To ear tip, or not to ear tip, that is the question.
Earbud controls vary and will suit your needs differently from one device to the next. I have longer hair, so I am partial to earbuds with squeezable stems. These provide more precise functionality and are less fiddly than touch-based surfaces. Touch controls are prone to accidental prompts, such as song skipping, which can be a major frustration on the go. If you press too hard, earbuds can also lodge further into the ear canal, causing discomfort.
The AirPods 4 use pinchable stems to control play/pause songs, skip tracks, and enable Siri. The buds also support head gestures, like nodding and shaking your head to answer or decline calls. However, the AirPods 4 do not feature a built-in volume slider. Instead, fans must control the earbuds’ volume directly from their smartphone or with the “Hey Siri” voice command. This seems like a major misstep, given that the Apple AirPods Pro 3 let users adjust their volume directly from the buds. The AirPods 5 will be considerably more appealing if they have a built-in volume slider at launch.
A built-in case speaker
The case is slightly smaller than the AirPods (3rd generation) case.
Charging cases are so much more intelligent than they used to be. For example, the JBL Tour Pro 3 case can connect to older hardware via a USB-to-3.5mm cable and transmit audio wirelessly to the earbuds. It also supports Auracast, allowing you to transmit your audio feed to any Auracast-enabled device. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro are similar, allowing you to toggle ANC and spatial audio directly from the case. You can even take photos using the camera app on your phone if that’s your jam.
As such, it isn’t much to ask for charging cases to come equipped with built-in speakers nowadays. Not for music playback (although that would be cool), but instead to locate the case in the Find My app. The Apple AirPods 4 with ANC case has it, so why not the original AirPods 4? It’s a handy tool that any current earbud manufacturer should include as a standard. The Apple AirPods 5 must feature a case with a built-in speaker at launch.
Wireless charging
The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are a significant upgrade.
Wireless charging has always been the simpler alternative to wired charging. For example, the company’s flagship AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 4 with ANC support this feature. Fans can top up these buds with a standard Apple Watch charger, Qi wireless charging mat, or MagSafe charger. Unfortunately, the original AirPods 4 battery cannot be boosted this way. Instead, fans must use a USB-C charging cable. This is a shame, as wireless charging is far more convenient for those in a hurry. The Apple AirPods 5 should include wireless charging compatibility when they materialize.
Hearing aid features
With casual listening, the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelation sound better than you might expect.
On September 12, 2024, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Apple AirPods Pro 2 as an over-the-counter hearing aid. Since then, Apple has released several new hearing aid features. For example, when used with an iPhone, AirPods Pro users can receive a clinically validated hearing test that adjusts the earbuds’ transparency mode to their results. The test also provides a visual representation of your hearing loss profile that you can share with your audiologist or ENT doctor.
Critically, the company unveiled a new and improved Hearing Protection feature. Using Apple’s powerful H2 chip, the AirPods Pro 2 and 3 can listen to your surroundings and reduce the level of noise that reaches your eardrum. This has major health benefits for protecting your ears and preventing noise-induced hearing loss. A good seal is vital for Apple’s hearing-aid tests to work properly, so we may never see these capabilities in its open-ear buds. However, it would be a game-changer if Apple could introduce hearing aid features to the Apple AirPods 5.
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Will there be an Apple AirPods 5?
The AirPods 4 have a shorter stem than their predecessors.
The AirPods 4 are Apple’s answer to affordable, open-ear buds. For $50 less than their predecessor at launch, Apple’s latest unsealed buds offer many desirable improvements at an affordable price point. For example, their durable IP54 dust ingress protects against chalky hands and small particles. They also enjoy reasonably good sound quality and fit more nicely in the ear. The AirPods 4 are among the most pleasing open-ear buds on the market if you enjoy hearing your music and surroundings.
Apple’s Wearables, Home, and Accessories category continued to outstrip its iPhones and iPad sales in Q1 of 2026. Trusted industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also predicted earlier this year that IR camera-equipped AirPods would enter mass production in 2026. This aligns with an earlier report by Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter that points to a 2027 release date for AirPods with this feature.
- Apple AirPods 1 — December 13, 2016
- Apple AirPods 2 — March 20, 2019
- Apple AirPods 3 — October 18, 2021
- Apple AirPods 4 — September 20, 2024
Unlike its iPhones, Apple does not stick to a strict regimen when refreshing its earbuds. For example, the original AirPods 1 were released on December 13, 2016. These were followed by the AirPods 2 two years and three months later, on March 20, 2019. The Apple AirPods 3 launched two years and seven months later, on October 18, 2021, and the AirPods 4 landed two years and 11 months after that. With an average release window of two to three years, we should see the Apple AirPods 5 launch sometime in 2027.
Should you wait for the Apple AirPods 5?
Can you tell which is which?
While the aesthetics will likely stay the same, there’s no way to know where Apple will take its feature set next. The introduction of hearing aid technology and heart-rate monitoring into the AirPods Pro 2 and 3 could revolutionize our relationship with consumer earbuds in the future. What remains certain is that each iteration of AirPods has improved upon the last. The AirPods 4 are available from major retailers, including Amazon.
If you own an iPhone and enjoy unoccluded ears, don’t wait for the Apple AirPods 5. Instead, grab the AirPods 4 () and take advantage of the company’s H2 chip. This unlocks control customizations, automatic ear detection, and spatial audio with head tracking. The earbuds also support Audio Sharing and gesture-based Siri control. Their Personalized Volume feature automatically adjusts your volume in real-time, and the sound quality is surprisingly good given the design. The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.3 with the AAC codec, and you can use the Find My app if the buds get misplaced. Their battery life lasts over six hours, and the case offers 24 hours during longer journeys. The earbuds also support Apple’s Optimized Charging feature, reducing long-term battery degradation.
If you want to try ANC-enabled unsealed earbuds, grab the Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (). These earbuds have the same feature set as the original AirPods 4 with some extras. For example, the AirPods 4 with ANC’s charging case has a built-in speaker to help you locate it. The case can also be charged wirelessly with Apple Watch chargers, Qi wireless charging mats, or MagSafe. Noise cancellation is reasonably decent, and Adaptive Audio automatically blends ANC and Transparency modes depending on your surroundings. Conversation Awareness will automatically lower your music and activate Transparency mode when you start talking.
Budget-conscious buyers looking for the best feature-to-cost ratio should consider the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC (). Shaped more like the AirPods Pro and fashioning a sealed fit, these buds come equipped with up to 39dB of noise canceling and Adaptive Noise Canceling mode. Battery life is also excellent, lasting nearly 10 hours with ANC enabled, and an additional 50 hours from the case. The earbuds operate Bluetooth 5.3 and connect to your source device via the LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. The Soundcore app is comprehensive, offering 22 EQ presets, a low-latency gaming mode, a Fit Test, an eight-band custom EQ, and more. Workout enthusiasts will enjoy the earbuds’ IPX4 water-resistant rating. Just remember, they are not athletics-oriented.
For even less money, the EarFun Air Pro 4 () bring excellent sound quality and a list of handy features. For example, the buds use ANC to quell distracting environmental noise by as much as 37dB. Battery life sits marginally shy of nine hours and can be topped up with a USB-C cable or wirelessly with a Qi charging mat. The EarFun Air Pro 4 connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth 5.4 and support the aptX Lossless, LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. Bluetooth Multipoint can also connect to two separate source devices simultaneously. Getting connected is a breeze thanks to Google Fast Pair, and the EarFun Audio app is packed with handy features. Like the Liberty 4 NC, the buds support a low-latency gaming mode, a Find headphones feature, 30 EQ presets, and a 10-band custom EQ.
Apple AirPods 5 FAQs
