Apple is expected to refresh its entry-level AirPods this fall, and the timing lines up nicely with the company’s iPhone launch event. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the AirPods 5 could debut around the same September 9 event that brings the foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 Pro lineup. It’s about time too, since the current AirPods 4 haven’t been updated since their September 2024 launch. If you have been holding onto an older pair waiting for the right moment to upgrade, this might finally be it.
As MacRumors reported, the AirPods 5 models showed up as references inside the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate, spotted a day after a separate report flagged a wave of unreleased Apple devices hiding in the same update.
The new earbuds carry the internal codenames B868M and B868E, which likely stand for the standard AirPods 5 and the Active Noise Cancellation version. For context, the current AirPods 4 use the codenames B768M and B768E, so the naming pattern checks out.
We still don’t know much about what’s actually changing under the hood, but there’s a decent chance Apple upgrades the H3 chip, which could mean better sound quality and lower latency. MacRumors also noted that the same software update referenced an unreleased Beats Solo Buds model, so there’s clearly more in the pipeline than just AirPods.
A leaked video from a developer build of macOS showed the camera-equipped earbuds working with Apple’s Visual Intelligence feature, but Gurman says that model is still on track for 2027, not this year.
Some additional info about AirPods Pro 4 with cameras, found in macOS 26.7 RC:
If you have long hair that blocks the camera, there will be an error that is titled “Hair Detected” that says “to get the most accurate information about things in your environment, make sure AirPods… https://t.co/hUbWovpsyc
Supply chain and software issues have reportedly pushed back the launch. And when they do arrive, the cameras won’t work like typical cameras. They’re expected to use low-resolution sensors built to scan your surroundings, not snap photos. Either way, it looks like AirPods fans have a busy year or two ahead.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.