Apple Explains How AirPods 4 Feature 'Great' Active Noise Cancellation Without Ear Tips

Apple has added active noise cancellation (ANC) to the higher-end AirPods 4, despite their open-ear design without silicone tips. The H2 chip and "computational audio" were key to achieving this. Apple engineers explained that implementing ANC in this design was challenging and computationally intensive. The revised shape and acoustic architecture of the AirPods 4 also contribute to effective noise cancellation. The $179 AirPods 4 model with ANC is now available in stores.