Will we see AirPods 4 today? Well, Gurman said 'Apple is preparing two new AirPods models'…

AirPods Pro 2 buds rising out of their case on a black background

(Image credit: Apple)

Ahead of Apple's much-vaunted It's Glowtime iPhone 16 event, taking place today, Monday September 9, (starting at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST… which is 3am September 10 AEST, but you can catch up on the build-up with our Glowtime live-blog right now), Bloomberg's Mark Gurman gave his clearest affirmation yet that two new sets of AirPods are coming – and two almost certainly aren't.

Gurman shared his biggest and most detailed AirPods predictions yet, in a Bloomberg missive, ahead of the upcoming Apple event. Is this concrete evidence of impending AirPods 4 plus an AirPods 'Lite' offering? No, because Gurman relies on sources rather than Tim Cook himself, but it's pretty conclusive if you trust the noted Apple expert – and most people do, where i-prefixed products are concerned.

So what exactly did the tech analyst disclose? Here's summary of what Gurman has prophesised regarding AirPods in the lead up to Apple's big iPhone 16 reveal (there's plenty to get through)…

Two new AirPods: the big predictions

Apple is, says Gurman, readying two new AirPods models to supersede the entry-level, (aka AirPods 2019) second-generation earbuds and mid-tier, third-generation model (also known as AirPods 3).
Both new versions will apparently look similar to the AirPods Pro (it's unclear whether Gurman means the 2019 original Pros or the AirPods Pro 2) and include a new case, USB-C charging and "improved audio quality".
Apple will reportedly distinguish the two new AirPods models by giving the mid-tier version a more premium case with a speaker, thus making it easier to locate with Apple’s Find My feature, plus noise cancellation "to match the AirPods Pro".
One major new focus for AirPods, says Gurman, is a "bigger push into hearing health". Apple has allegedly been attempting to make AirPods a viable replacement for hearing aids, and a device able to conduct hearing tests. The Cupertino giant is prepping to announce these updates – codenamed Yodel – but Gurman adds that "they’ve suffered some delays and may not be available until later".
A new version of the AirPods Pro "remains in the works" according to the expert, featuring an upgraded design and improved ANC. But we won't see them Monday. Why? Gurman tells us that what sounds to us like the AirPods Pro 3 are "due as early as next year". (Boo!)
Finally, Apple's allegedly been working on updated AirPods Max headphones that'll be available in new colors and switch the Lightning connector to USB-C to comply with the latest EU laws. But with plenty of current AirPods Max inventory on hand, Gurman thinks the AirPods Max 2 will also "be coming later" – ie. not on Monday…

Anything else? Actually, yes…

Here's the thing: today (September 9), it seems Gurman or at least one or two of his sources has had a change of heart and perhaps AirPods Max 2 are in fact coming at Glowtime… I mean, there's not long to wait now, one way of the other.

Interestingly, the Apple tipster also reports that a few weeks ago, "Apple discovered a bug in the upcoming AirPods that made the earbuds quickly drain battery life". The issue was apparently attributed to software and was resolved prior to factories shipping out the units.

Regular readers may also remember we told you about AirPods Pro 2 getting an update for gesture support, for calls/control ahead of the full iOS 18 launch. The smart money says we should be getting a launch date for that feature on Monday.

Look, we shouldn't be surprised about any of this: Apple's biggest AirPods launch to date was prophesized earlier in the year, and a dual AirPods release would be that.

Yes, it's sad that we probably won't see AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Max 2 on Monday, but come on, it’s been well over two years since the launch of Apple AirPods 3, the most recent earbuds from Tim Cook's behemoth (because we don't count the September 2023 addition of a USB-C case charging port, agreed?), and we'll take two pairs of ice-white buds over nothing at all, thank you very much.

Pricing? Gurman hasn't specified, but given that the AirPods 3 currently sell for around $179 / £169 / AU$279, somewhere in that ball-park for the mid-tier option seems fitting.

The entry-level set? Impossible to say for sure, but wouldn't a $99 / £99 / AU$149 price point – something to rival the hugely popular Nothing Ear (a), say – be refreshing?

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.