Overview

• First reviews report meaningfully stronger active noise cancellation, richer sound and up to eight hours of listening per charge with ANC enabled.
• Apple released AirPods firmware 8A356 alongside iOS 26, adding studio‑quality recording, Camera Remote, sleep detection and battery notifications to AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4.
• DC Rainmaker’s testing found the new ear‑based heart‑rate readings closely matched Apple Watch and Garmin devices during workouts.
• Hardware updates include foam‑infused tips with a new XXS size, IP57 water resistance and a U2 chip in the case for longer‑range Precision Finding, though total case battery is lower than Pro 2.
• Preorders are live ahead of the September 19 retail launch, while Live Translation works on compatible models but is unavailable for users in the EU with EU Apple accounts.