The AirPods 4 charging cases are smaller… but how long is the battery life of Apple’s new £179 earbuds?

Apple has announced the AirPods 4, which will feature smaller cases but longer battery life.

The latest generation of AirPods also includes noise-canceling capabilities and the promise of “the most advanced audio experience” offered by the tech giant to date.

Although they feature a smaller charging case than the previous iteration of the product, the new AirPods 4 will have longer battery life thanks to a new USB-C-powered charging case.

Featuring a built-in H2 chip, AirPods 4 help “unlock intelligent audio experiences” such as voice isolation, enabling clearer call quality and allowing users to nod or shake their head to respond to Siri announcements.

Its charging case is now also more than 10% smaller in volume than its predecessor, while still being able to extend the product’s battery life.

In addition to a USB-C charging cable, customers who choose AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation (ANC) can charge the earbuds using an Apple Watch charger or Qi-certified charger.

This will help deliver up to 30 hours of battery life according to the manufacturer, meaning you won’t need to charge it more than once a day for full use at least – something that will definitely come in handy if you’re on the go.

Elsewhere, a software update to the company’s £229 AirPods Pro 2 will allow wearers to use them as a clinical-grade hearing aid.

This feature amplifies specific sounds in real-time without any lag, such as another person’s speech or environmental noises like traffic.

Apple hopes this will shake up the market for hearing aids, which typically cost £400 or more.

It will be available as part of iOS 18, Apple’s new software update coming later this month.

According to Apple, one in three people are regularly exposed to high levels of ambient noise that can impact hearing, while three-quarters of people diagnosed with hearing loss go untreated.

The tech giant hopes its new hearing aid feature for the AirPods Pro 2 aims to increase awareness and prevention of hearing loss.

“Hearing health is a critical part of our overall well-being, but it’s often overlooked,” said Sumbul Desai, Apple’s vice president of health.

“We’re excited to deliver breakthrough software features with AirPods Pro that put people’s hearing health first, providing new ways to test and get help for hearing loss.”

With the new software update, wearers will first be able to take a “scientifically validated” hearing test to see if they actually need the hearing aid feature.

The test involves users tapping the screen of a paired iPhone while hearing a variety of sounds at different volumes and frequencies through their AirPods.

When a user completes the test, they will see a summary of the results in the Health app on their device.

Users can also share results with their healthcare providers for “more informed conversations” about their hearing, according to Apple.

Using the results of the hearing test, the new feature turns AirPods Pro into a hearing aid by amplifying surrounding sounds in real time.

“This helps users better engage in conversation and keeps them connected to the people and environment around them,” Apple said in a statement.