It seems like this is the year I realized I’m not a pro anymore. Instead of upgrading to the iPhone 16 Pro from the iPhone 15 Pro, I plan to pre-order the iPhone 16. Instead of getting the sweet Satin Black Apple Watch Ultra 2, I pre-ordered the Apple Watch Series 10 in Jet Black.
And now I’m even considering ditching my AirPods Pro 2 for the new AirPods 4. I’m already pre-ordered and ready to potentially replace the last Pro Apple product I’ll have (after I switch from the Pro iPhone to the Apple Watch Ultra, which are basically the Pro Apple Watch).
With the AirPods Pro 2 getting some software updates and still apparently having better noise cancellation, why would I get rid of them? Well, it comes down to two things.
Noise cancellation and fit are factors
The first reason – and a big reason – I’m considering switching from the AirPods Pro 2 is because of customization. While the AirPods Pro 2 are great, the biggest issue I’ve always had with them is that whenever I’ve been exercising or chewing too much gum, they’ve fallen out of my ears.
When I go for a run, I adjust my AirPods Pro earbuds over and over and over. When I go hiking, it will be the same. And don’t even try to do sit-ups or push-ups – those kids come out no matter how hard I try to secure them.
I find open-ear headphones to be more comfortable, so I really want to try the AirPods 4 to see if they not only deliver on that, but are actually more secure in my ears. That’s a big ask since the AirPods Pro 2 offer four different ear tips for customization, but I’ve heard from many people that the regular AirPods actually stayed in their ears better than the Pros. I’ll have to see if I fall into that camp too.
The second reason I’m considering switching is that the AirPods 4 get the one feature I really stuck with the AirPods Pro for: noise cancellation. This is the most important feature of my headphones and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Being able to drown out outside noise while trying to focus at work, on a plane, or during a workout is a must-have feature these days.
Since noise cancellation comes to the AirPods 4 with this open-ear design, I wonder if they’ll be a better choice for someone like me who has issues with the fit and comfort of the AirPods Pro 2. I know the noise cancellation on the AirPods 4 won’t be as good as the noise cancellation on the AirPods Pro 2, but if they’re good enough, I’ll sacrifice a bit of performance.
So there I am. If the noise cancellation of the AirPods 4 is good enough for my use cases and solves my fit and comfort issues with the AirPods Pro 2, they might make me jump from Pro to a non-Pro Apple product again.
We’ll see what happens when they come out on September 20th. I already have a pre-order!