For the first time ever, the entry-level AirPods have active noise cancellation (ANC). Apple unveiled the new AirPods 4 on Sept. 9 at the "Glowtime" event where the Cupertino-based tech giant debuted the new line with two variants: one with ANC and one without ANC.

The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation distinguish themselves from their predecessors with a new design that looks similar, but changes enough to sit differently in the ear. Shape is crucial with these hard-shell earbuds since they don’t have gummy tips like the AirPods Pro to create a tight seal and keep them firmly in place.

The new iPhone 16 smartphones and Apple Watch Series 10 smartwatches are chock full of new and enhanced health, fitness and safety features. At the same time Apple is updating the AirPods Pro 2 so they can be used as over-the-counter hearing aids. A new feature, called Hearing Protection, will also be unlocked.

In a groundbreaking move aimed at enhancing accessibility and innovation in hearing aid technology, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized the first over-the-counter (OTC)