Apple will announce two new AirPods models on Monday. Here are the key differences

On Monday, Sept. 9, Apple will announce the new iPhone 16 lineup. Alongside the iPhone, we’ll see new Apple Watches and many new software features. We’ll also learn more about Apple’s in-house generative AI model, Apple Intelligence, which the company unveiled during its annual developers conference in June.

Also: Everything we expect at Apple’s iPhone 16 event: AI features, AirPods, Apple Watch Series 10, more

However, the products I’m most excited for Apple to announce are the two new pairs of AirPods the company has waiting to replace the current second- and third-generation models. Both AirPods will receive significant upgrades, but you should consider a few key differences before preordering them. Let’s get into them.

The current second-generation AirPods are the cheapest and least software-intensive AirPods you can buy from Apple. They lack spatial audio, noise-canceling and transparency modes, and offer five hours of audio playback. The current third-generation model also lacks noise-canceling and transparency modes but offer six hours of audio playback.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the two new models’ biggest differences are noise-canceling and a Find My speaker. 

In Gurman’s newsletter, he says the upgraded second-generation model will debut with improved noise isolation and sound quality. It will also receive a redesigned case with USB-C charging capability. The AirPods eartip will retain the traditional shape that resembles the wired Apple EarPods.

Also: New AirPods are arriving next week. Here are the top 4 features I want to see

The upgraded third-generation AirPods will receive noise-canceling and transparency modes and will sport a Find My speaker on the new USB-C-compatible charging case. This speaker allows users to find their AirPods more easily by pressing the “Play Sound” button in the Find My app to trigger the speaker.

These earbuds will be the closest to the premium AirPods Pro 2, which will not receive an upgrade this year. I don’t expect Apple to surprise us by giving the new AirPods and upgraded chip out of caution that doing so may hurt Pro 2 sales.