Apple just leveled up AirPods: Here’s what’s new

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Apple on June 9 unveiled new features for AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and AirPods Pro 2, introducing studio-quality audio recording and remote camera controls designed to elevate content creation and communication.

The latest updates allow users to capture high-quality vocals on the go, even in noisy environments, thanks to enhanced Voice Isolation and beamforming microphones, an Apple newsroom report said.

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Creators, including podcasters, interviewers, and musicians, can now record clearer, more natural-sounding audio directly through their AirPods, leveraging Apple’s H2 chip and advanced computational audio.

The new audio recording features integrate seamlessly across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and are compatible with the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, FaceTime, CallKit-supported apps, and third-party video conferencing platforms like Webex.

Hands-free camera control for effortless content creation

Additionally, Apple introduced a remote camera control feature. By pressing and holding the AirPods stem, users can start or stop video recordings or snap photos using the Camera app or supported third-party apps. This feature aims to simplify hands-free content creation, especially for users recording themselves singing, dancing, or performing.

“With these updates, AirPods are becoming an even more powerful tool for creators and communicators,” Apple said in a statement.

The enhancements are expected to roll out in an upcoming software update later this year.

Apple Intelligence expands across devices

On the same day, Apple also announced new Apple Intelligence features designed to enhance the user experience across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple Intelligence introduces capabilities such as Live Translation, enhanced visual intelligence, and creative tools like Image Playground and Genmoji, offering users new ways to communicate, understand, and express themselves.

Shortcuts now tap directly into Apple Intelligence, and developers can access the on-device large language model powering it — optimized for speed, privacy, and offline use. These features are now available for testing and will roll out broadly this fall on supported devices and languages.

Apple also revealed plans to expand Apple Intelligence language support by the end of the year to include Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese.