Nidhish Waghmare
Unexpectedly, Apple removed the standard USB charging cable from the box of its most recent AirPods 4. This audacious choice poses serious concerns for the future of consumer electronics and represents a substantial divergence from the business’s prior methods.
Apple Eliminates USB Cable for AirPods 4
With the release of the new AirPods 4, Apple is moving even closer to its minimum packaging strategy, having decided a few years back to stop including power adapters in iPhone boxes. The box of the recently released AirPods 4 wireless earphones—which come in normal and noise-canceling versions—will not include a USB-C charging cable.
The information is verified on Apple’s official comparison page for AirPods, where the AirPods 4 versions are listed as having a “USB-C Charge Cable sold separately.” With the completion of the USB-C transition across all of its devices, Apple is already discontinuing the accompanying cable. It’s true that some people may already have a few USB-C cables in their possession.
However, what about people who are joining the Apple ecosystem or upgrading from earlier devices? For them, it requires making a separate purchase in order to charge and prepare their AirPods for use. Now, Apple may counter that by using less packaging, they are being ecologically friendly. We can all support this tendency, and you make a valid point. The iPhone might be next in line. For now, the iPhone 16 is still shipped with a USB-C cable, but things could change. I wouldn’t be shocked if Apple decided to take away the earphone charging case next at this point.
Details of the Apple AirPods 4
The AirPods 4 itself are equipped with a number of capabilities, even if they are cordless. With a silicone tip and semi-in-ear stem, the design is similar to the earlier iterations, but Apple says it fits more people. Both variants maintain the tap control capability and are water-resistant to IPX4. To control Siri and calls, users may now add a head nod for “yes” and a head shake for “no.” With head tracking included, Personalized Spatial Audio promises an immersive listening experience, upgrading the audio experience.
While the premium model of AirPods 4 has the noise cancellation technology that was previously only available on AirPods Pro, the regular model does not have ANC. Both models have a “Conversational Mode” that lowers the volume while speaking; for more user control, the ANC version also has Transparency Mode and Adaptive Audio.
Both AirPods 4 models are powered by the H2 chip, which aims to enhance battery life, customize music, and speed up pairing. With the wireless charging case, Apple promises a total battery life of 30 hours, while the earbuds alone can play music for 6.5 hours.
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