Overview

• Early reviews report noticeably stronger noise cancellation, richer sound and reliable in‑ear heart‑rate tracking during workouts, aligning with Apple's claims.
• Apple released AirPods firmware 8A356, enabling iOS 26 features on AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 such as Live Translation, studio‑quality recording, camera remote, sleep pause and improved call audio.
• Battery life rises to up to 8 hours per charge with ANC (up to 10 hours in transparency/hearing‑assist), though total case listening time drops compared with AirPods Pro 2.
• New foam‑infused silicone tips in five sizes including XXS improve fit and passive isolation, contributing to ANC gains noted by reviewers.
• The charging case’s U2 Ultra Wideband chip allows longer‑range locating in Find My (up to roughly 200 feet), with Apple’s 1.5× Precision Finding range boost limited to pairing with the newest iPhones.