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With a slightly smaller design, improved sound and Apple’s powerful H2 chip features, the Apple AirPods 4 are a worthy upgrade. But what really makes them special is the noise canceling in the step-up ANC model.

AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation

Pros

• Same H2 chip found in AirPods Pro 2
• More compact design
• Active noise canceling that works
• Improved sound
• Excellent voice-calling performance
• Personalized spatial audio
• Case has wireless charging and speaker for Find My

Cons

• Battery life could be a little better
• Noise-canceling isn’t as good as AirPods Pro 2’s

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AirPods 4

Pros

• Same H2 chip found in AirPods Pro 2
• More compact design
• Improved sound
• Excellent voice-calling performance
• Personalized spatial audio

Cons

• Battery life could be better
• No wireless charging or speaker in case

The AirPods 4 are, unsurprisingly, the fourth generation of Apple’s original true-wireless earbuds that feature an open design, which means they don’t have silicone ear tips like the AirPods Pro 2. A lot of people still don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears and find open earbuds more comfortable, and the AirPods 4 are made for those folks. Not only do they feature a slightly smaller design and better sound than their predecessor, but they’re equipped with Apple’s H2 chip that improves overall performance and powers new features.

In a first for Apple, the AirPods 4 comes in two versions: a $129 entry-level model and a $179 step-up model with active noise canceling. ANC is a rare feature for open earbuds because it typically doesn’t work with an open design — at least not with the few noise-canceling open earbuds I’ve tried, including Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds 3.

The AirPods 4 replace both the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 in the lineup that also includes the AirPods Pro 2 and the updated AirPods Max with USB-C. And in terms of their design, the AirPods 4 are sort of a cross between the AirPods 2 and 3; they’re slightly smaller than the AirPods 3 but also slightly larger than the AirPods 2. That said, at 4.3 grams per bud, they weigh the same as the AirPods 3.

AirPods 4 design improvements

Apple is hoping the new design is a better fit for a wider range of ears. They did fit my ears slightly better than the AirPods 3, though I sometimes had to adjust the angle of the buds to get a really secure fit. Like a lot of people, one of my ears is slightly different than the other, and I got a marginally better fit with my right ear than my left.

I never got a great fit from the AirPods 2 or AirPods 3 (I had trouble keeping them in my ears when I ran with them), but these do fit my ears the best of the three, and I did find them very comfortable to wear. However, I get a slightly more secure fit from the AirPods Pro 2.  

From left to right: the AirPods 2, AirPods 3 and AirPods 4 buds with their corresponding cases above them. 

Everybody’s ears are different, of course, so I asked some of my colleagues, including some who had small ears, how they felt about the new design compared to the AirPods 3’s design (you can see some of their reactions in my companion review video). They all preferred the design of the AirPods 4 and most of them got a secure fit. Basically, the design does seem to be an improvement, but like with any earbuds, I can’t guarantee they’ll fit everybody’s ears equally well. 

AirPods 4’s upgraded sound quality

To be clear, both new AirPods 4 have the same design, same sound quality and same voice-calling performance. And they both have Apple’s H2 chip with Bluetooth 5.3. That’s the same chip found in the AirPods Pro 2.

Apple has upgraded both buds with a new acoustic architecture and amp. Also, it’s slightly changed the angle of how the drivers are pointed into your ears, which is supposed to improve sound quality. The combo of the new drivers and the upgraded H2 chip’s processing power for Apple’s Adaptive EQ — a feature that optimizes audio quality on the fly as the position of the buds changes ever so slightly in your ears — gives the AirPods 4 better sound than the AirPods 3. And needless to say, because these are open earbuds, the sound does have an open quality to it.

The AirPods 4 feature a new acoustic architecture.

Overall, the sound is a little cleaner (improved treble), and you get a bit more bass, so there’s a touch more depth and fullness to whatever you’re listening to. They’re still a notch below the AirPods Pro 2’s, but they’re close, and these are easily among the best-sounding open earbuds out there. You’re still not going to get as much bass as you do with the AirPods Pro 2, but the gap has narrowed. I didn’t feel as if I was making much of a sound quality sacrifice compared with the AirPods Pro 2, at least when I was listening in a quiet room. 

Like the AirPods Pro 2, both AirPods 4 models are equipped with 5GHz radios (as opposed to 2.4GHz). That not only helps improve the Bluetooth connection reliability with Apple devices but allows for lossless audio withApple’s Vision Pro headset, as well as low-latency gaming audio with recent iPhones, iPads and Macs running the latest versions of their respective operating systems. Wireless streaming of lossless audio over Bluetooth is available only for the Vision Pro because the buds have to be right next to your audio source device for a glitch-free listening experience (the headset sits on your head right next to the buds). 

Of course, if you’re in a noisy environment, these buds do still let sound into your ears, which impacts sound quality. But things get interesting with the addition of noise canceling, so let’s get into that key difference between the two models and what you get with entry-level AirPods 4 versus the AirPods 4 ANC.

The AirPods 4 are rated for up to 5 hours of battery life with noise canceling off.

AirPods 4 ANC’s added features  

The ANC version of the AirPods 4 is $50 more than the regular model, but you also get more than just noise-canceling for the money. For instance, while the charging cases are the same size and look nearly identical, the step-up ANC model’s case is equipped with a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) chip and has a speaker integrated into it like the case for the AirPods Pro 2. The entry-level model’s case has neither of these features (the entry-level AirPods 4 use a less sophisticated version of FindMy that can track the buds but not the case and play a sound through the buds).  

That speaker emits a sonar-like noise when you use the Find My feature with proximity finding, making it easier to locate the case if it gets hidden behind something or stuck in your couch cushions. Also, the entry-level model’s case doesn’t have wireless charging, while the ANC model’s case does. Note that neither model has the more advanced Precision Finding of the AirPods Pro 2, which have a U1 chip in their case. 

The AirPods 4 charging case is a little bit smaller than the AirPods 3’s charging case, but there’s one other difference: There’s no longer a physical button on the AirPods 4’s charging case for activating Bluetooth and pairing it with non-Apple devices. Instead, you now double-tap on the front of the case near the LED to initiate pairing and double-tap three times to initiate a reset. Both the buds themselves and case have an IP54 rating, which means they’re splash-proof and dust- and sweat-resistant.

Surprisingly effective noise canceling 

I was really impressed with the noise canceling. The reality is that it’s not that great compared with what you get with the AirPods Pro 2 and top noise-canceling earbuds like theBose QuietComfort Ultra Earbudsor theSony WF-1000XM5. But that it works at all and is reasonably effective is kind of wild because, as I said, noise canceling and open earbuds usually aren’t a good mix.

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For instance, Samsung says its Galaxy Buds 3 have noise canceling, but I couldn’t really hear a difference when I turned the noise canceling on. But with the new AirPods, you really hear the difference. You feel it kick on and muffle the ambient sound around to a certain degree — enough to enable you to hear your music better in noisy environments.  

The AirPods 4’s noise canceling is more adept at tamping down low frequencies and was able to cut down the engine noise level by about 40% when I wore them on a plane. And they were also somewhat effective when I wore them on the streets of Wellington and on the subway. I’d say the noise canceling is a little less than half as good as what you get with the AirPods Pro, which also provide some passive noise isolation with their ear tips. But again, that the noise canceling worked as well as it did seems like a major technological feat. Not even Bose, a leader in noise-canceling technology, tried it with itsUltra Open Earbuds. 

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Entry-level AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 4 with ANC feature comparison 

I want to clarify what features the entry-level model has — and doesn’t have — because Apple’s introduced some new features with iOS 18 and there’s a bit of confusion about which model does what.

Both models have personalized spatial audio (with head tracking) for music, movies and now games that have been updated by the developer to support it. There’s also quick pairing and auto switching for Apple devices, as well as always-on Siri, so you just have to say the wake word to issue voice commands.

The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation have a few extra features, including Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio.

Also, both models have new force sensors in the stems with pinch controls to control playback, though apparently noswipe controls for volumethat are available with the AirPods Pro 2. And last but not least, the H2 chip allows for Siri Interactions, which are gesture controls that give you the option to nod or shake your head to dismiss or answer calls or engage with or dismiss notifications and messages. You nod your head for yes and shake your head for no. 

The two features you get with the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio because those features require noise canceling and transparency modes.

The AirPods 4 with ANC have the AirPods 2 Pro’s extra microphones to enable those modes. When Conversation Awareness is activated (if you talk to yourself a lot, it’s probably best to turn it off), as soon as you speak, your music pauses and transparency mode kicks in so you can have a conservation. Sony pioneered the feature with its Speak-To-Chat option, and now Apple’s Airpods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 ANC have it.

The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelling have a speaker in their case and wireless charging, two features missing from the entry-level model. Both AirPods 4 models have USB-C charging.

AirPods 4 voice-calling performance and battery life

Apple is also touting a new Voice Isolation feature that’s part of iOS 18 and helps with call quality. Both buds have the feature and so do the Airpods Pro 2. It basically helps callers hear your voice better while reducing background noise. 

I did some test calls and callers said they could hear my voice well with almost no background noise, which is impressive. The AirPods have always delivered one of the best voice-calling experiences and the AirPods 4 don’t disappoint. It’s right up there with my voice-calling experience with Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 andBuds 3 Pro, which also deliver top voice-calling performance.  

One thing that’s a tad disappointing, though, is that Apple wasn’t able to improve on battery life, and it’s actually slightly worse than the AirPods 3’s battery life. You can get up to 5 hours of battery life with noise-canceling off and 4 hours with it on. The case gives you an additional 25 hours with ANC off and 16 hours with it on.

AirPods 4 final analysis 

In the end, the way to look at these two earbuds is that the standard AirPods 4 are slightly smaller versions of the AirPods 3 with better sound quality and the benefits of the more powerful H2 chip going forward. The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are essentially the AirPods Pro 2 with an open earbud design. However, only the AirPods Pro 2 — and not the AirPods 4 — are getting Apple’s new hearing-aid feature, so take that into account before buying these if that’s something you’re interested in.  

If you’re looking for basic AirPods, the standard AirPods 4 certainly have their appeal and should cost closer to $100 during flash sales, especially around the holidays. They may not be quite as cheap or as small as the AirPods 2, but they sound a lot better and have a lot more features.

Ultimately, however, the AirPods 4 ANC are simply more special. As I said, they’re the first open buds I’ve tried to have active noise canceling that actually works. That makes them the first noise-canceling earbuds for people who don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears. That’s pretty cool and worth the extra $50 if you can afford it.

Can you take your iPhone swimming? Here’s what those IP67, IP68 and IPX8 water-resistance ratings really mean.

If you’ve ever spilled a drink on your phone, or accidentally dropped it in the toilet, you’ll know that water resistance can mean the difference between a quick wipe with a towel or an expensive trip to buy a new phone. While waterproofing used to be something found only on beefy, rubber-sealed phones designed for construction workers or downhill mountain bikers, water resistance has become pretty much the norm in all today’s phones, including theiPhone 16 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro andGalaxy S24 Ultra. Even Google’saffordable Pixel 8Ais water resistant. 

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Not all phones can withstand a dunk in water though, and some shouldn’t be near liquid at all. Almost no phones should be taken swimming in a pool, and ocean swimming is still out of the question, unless you’re using a water-tight case of some kind. If you’ve shopped for a phone recently, you’ll have come across terms like “water resistant,” as well as the now common IP67, IP68 and IPX8 ratings. But what do those ratings really mean and, crucially, how waterproof is your expensive new phone?

Let’s break down the jargon and find out. 

What do IP67, IP68 and IPX8 mean?

Ingress protection ratings (also known as international protection ratings) are a standard set forth by theInternational Electrotechnical Commission. According to the organization, the codes are designed as a “system for classifying the degrees of protection provided by the enclosures of electrical equipment.”

The first number in the rating code represents the amount of protection provided against the entry of foreign solid objects, such as sand or dust. These protection levels range from a low of 0 to a high of 6.

The second number represents the degree of protection against the entry of moisture or liquid, with protection levels ranging from a low of 0 to a high of 8.

Nothing’s earbuds are IPX4 rated, which is enough to keep them safe from sweat during your workouts.

Sometimes you’ll see an IP rating with a number replaced with an X, such as IPX8. In this instance, a company hasn’t provided testing details so the rating number is replaced with an X. An IPX8-rated device can survive being submerged in water then, but it hasn’t officially been rated for any protection from dust or other particles.

The iPhone 16 Pro has an IP68 rating, meaning it’s protected from dust getting inside and can withstand being submerged in water. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is also IP68 rated. So they’re equally water-resistant, right? Well, no. That’s where it gets confusing. 

For an 8 on the IP rating, the IEC demands a device can withstand being submerged inat least1 meter of water for 30 minutes. Beyond that, it’s up to the manufacturer. The S24 Ultra can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes, while Apple says the iPhone 16 Pro is safe in up to6meters of water for up to 30 minutes. So while any phone with an IP68 rating will have had to hit that 1 meter-30 minute minimum threshold, it’s important to check the fine print and see exactly what your phone offers. 

For further details on all the IP ratings, you can see charts at the end of this article outlining the protection levels set by the IEC.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max can be submerged in water up to 6 meters deep for up to 30 minutes at a time. 

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Can I go swimming with my iPhone?

While the iPhone 16 Pro’s advertised 6 meters of water-resistance might make it seem like you can slip one into your swim shorts and hit the pool, you’d be well advised to leave it out of the water. The IP rating is tested in controlled conditions — in water with no movement. Moving your phone in the water will add more water pressure, making it more likely that water could find its way inside and do irreparable damage to your phone. 

The IP tests are also done usingfreshwater; most pools will have additional chemicals such as chlorine, which could make a difference to your phone’s resistance. And you should absolutely keep your phone out of the sea: Salt water could cause a lot of trouble, including degrading the metal parts in your charging port. 

Even if your phone has the top IP68 resistance rating, it’s good practice to treat the feature as a backup in case of emergencies. Your phone is not designed to go snorkeling, so don’t try using the camera to snag pictures of starfish or whatever. Nor should you try to recordTikTokvideos of yourself jumping off the high dive into the deep end. It’s there for accidents like spilling a drink or emergencies like making a call in the pouring rain. 

The OnePlus Nord 2 does not have any stated resistance to water — keep phones like this extra safe when you’re around liquids.

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My phone doesn’t have an IP rating. Can it get wet? 

In order for a company to advertise that their product has an IP rating at all, it needs to have undergone strict tests to ensure it meets the requirements. These tests can be timely and costly, so it’s understandable that some companies simply don’t want to spend the cash, particularly when it comes to budget-focused models.

Some phones instead use terms like “water-repellent” or “water-resistant” without an official IP rating. These handsets may make use of methods like rubberized seals or water-repellent nano coating to keep moisture at bay. While these phones may well survive an accidental dunking, it’s worth keeping them safe from being fully submerged in water. But you shouldn’t need to worry too much about taking calls in the rain. 

If your phone makes no mention of water resistance, then it’s best to assume that it has none and you should take as much care as you can around liquids. 

Solid protection

Moisture protection

In a move that bridges luxury automotive engineering with wearable technology, Mercedes-Benz has just transformed the Apple Watch into a sophisticated car key. The prestigious automaker today unveiled its highly anticipated Apple Watch app, marking a significant shift in how owners interact with their vehicles.

Smart Features for the Modern Driver

The app’s capabilities extend far beyond basic remote control. Owners can now monitor their vehicle’s vital statistics, including real-time fuel or battery levels and remaining range, with just a glance at their wrist. Perhaps most impressively, the app includes an intelligent vehicle locator that not only pinpoints your parked Mercedes but also provides turn-by-turn walking directions to reach it.

For those adventures off the beaten path, Mercedes has implemented a clever solution: when traditional mapping isn’t available, the app switches to a virtual compass mode, ensuring you can always find your way back to your vehicle.

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Compatibility and Requirements

While the future of car control may be here, there are some requirements to note. The app works with Apple Watch models running watchOS 9 or later and requires the Mercedes-Benz mobile app on a paired iPhone. Additionally, these smart features are limited to Mercedes-Benz vehicles from 2019 onwards, with specific capabilities varying based on model and trim level.

The app’s launch responds directly to customer demand for more seamless vehicle interaction. “This new integration allows owners to interact with their vehicles seamlessly, without needing to access their smartphone,” Mercedes-Benz stated in today’s announcement.

With this release, Mercedes-Benz isn’t just launching an app – they’re redefining the relationship between luxury cars and personal technology, making vehicle management as simple as checking the time. The app is available for download now through theApple Watch App Store, marking another step forward in the integration of automotive luxury and wearable tech.

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What does the Mercedes Benz app on Apple Watch do?

There are a number of key features and functionalities that the app enables, including:

• Locating a parked vehicle and pedestrian route navigation to it
• Compass mode for navigation in open areas where mapping is unavailable
• Lock and unlock vehicle remotely
• Access the most important information and car status
• View information such as vehicle range, battery or fuel level

The app can be downloaded from the App Store and includes all services on one screen, making them fairly simple to access.

This comes as othercar manufacturersfocus on offering connected smartphone apps, like the key competitors to Mercedes.

Audi, BMW, Volvo, MINI, Porsche, Tesla and several more offer similar functions through apps, yet not all are available on Apple Watch.