The new member of Apple’s well-known wireless headphone series, Apple AirPods 5 , has begun to create excitement in the technology world. There are strong indications that the new generation of headphones may be introduced at the company’s special event on September 9, 2026.

The company has not yet made an official statement about the new headphones. However, leaks from the software world indicate that a new generation of headphones is on the way.

New AirPods models hidden in the code

Inspections of the macOS Tahoe 26.7 Release Candidate version revealed two new devices with the codenames B868M and B868E. In the current AirPods 4 family, the standard model uses the code B768M, while the model with Active Noise Cancellation uses the code B768E.

This code structure strengthens the possibility that the new models could be AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Active Noise Cancellation. Apple followed a similar two-model strategy with the AirPods 4 series, which it introduced in September 2024.

The new generation of headphones is expected to be released in the form of a standard model and a version with enhanced features. This approach aligns with the company’s strategy of offering a variety of products to meet different user needs.

Apple won’t over users with the AirPods 4 family by offering two different options: a standard model and one with Active Noise Cancellation. Now, the goal is to continue this success with the new generation of hardware.

Technical expectations and future plans

Technical details regarding the AirPods 5 models are not yet clear. However, it is rumored that the new headphones may use Apple’s new generation H3 audio chip.

The H3 chip is expected to bring significant improvements in sound quality and latency. The current AirPods 4 models use the H2 chip.

The new headphones are completely different from the camera-equipped AirPods project that has been in the news for some time. Those models, expected to have infrared cameras, are predicted to be released in 2027.

These camera-equipped models aim to provide information to Siri and Visual Intelligence features by sensing the environment. AirPods 5, on the other hand, is being prepared as a classic series without this camera system.

In the Turkish market, the standard AirPods 4 model is sold for 8,999 TL, and the version with Active Noise Cancellation is priced at 11,999 TL. There is currently no official information about the pricing of AirPods 5.

The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable iPhone models are also expected to be introduced at the September 9th event. Apple may also present new Apple Watch models at this event.

If AirPods 5 are introduced, the standard series will have been renewed after approximately two years. AirPods 4 offer up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge, and this time reaches 30 hours with the charging case.

In the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) version, the usage time can drop to 4 hours with ANC enabled. Both models currently come with a USB-C charging case.

What kind of leap in sound quality do you think Apple should make with AirPods 5?