In other words, without getting too much into the weeds of things, active noise cancellation works by the device "monitoring" the outside noise and emitting an inverted soundwave, or what Treski calls "the anti phase," to neutralize or negate the external cacophony.

Apple’s AirPods have long been a staple in the wireless earbud market, appealing to a broad audience with their comfort,simplicity, and seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem.

The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation distinguish themselves from their predecessors with a new design that looks similar, but changes enough to sit differently in the ear. Shape is crucial with these hard-shell earbuds since they don’t have gummy tips like the AirPods Pro to create a tight seal and keep them firmly in place.

For the first time ever, the entry-level AirPods have active noise cancellation (ANC). Apple unveiled the new AirPods 4 on Sept. 9 at the "Glowtime" event where the Cupertino-based tech giant debuted the new line with two variants: one with ANC and one without ANC.

Apple addresses both cost and design with the all-new AirPods 4. AirPods 4 includes two variations. The $129 version essentially replaces the $169 AirPods 3 in the lineup. These should sell well. If you’re AirPods curious or upgrading from AirPods 1 or 2,