Apple looks to be prepping two new AirPods 5 models, and the more surprising part is the timing. A new report points to a standard version and an ANC version arriving as soon as this year, following the same split Apple already uses with AirPods 4: $129 without noise cancellation, $179 with it.
The claim gets a real boost from software evidence. References to two unreleased AirPods models, tagged B868M and B868E, turned up inside macOS Tahoe 26.7, a pattern that lines up with how the current AirPods 4 were tagged B768M and B768E before launch. That’s not proof of specs or pricing, but it’s a stronger signal than analyst speculation alone.
One rumored upgrade worth watching: a move from the current H2 chip to an H3, which could bring better audio and lower latency, though nothing here is confirmed by Apple yet. Design, battery life, and final pricing all remain unknown.
The more interesting wrinkle is what’s not launching alongside these. Camera-equipped AirPods, aimed at pairing with Visual Intelligence and Siri for context-aware assistance, showed up in a demo video buried in the same software release. Despite that appearance, they’re reportedly pushed to 2027, a full generation behind the AirPods 5 refresh.
Apple’s September event, now confirmed for September 9, is the leading candidate for an AirPods 5 reveal, though Apple hasn’t confirmed the earbuds themselves.
M Adnan Akram is the founder and lead writer at Phoonomo, covering mobile technology with a primary focus on Apple and the broader smartphone industry, alongside emerging developments in AI. He follows product launches, spec leaks, and industry trends closely to keep readers informed with timely updates.
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