After Apple introduced the AirPods 5 last week , we got a set to take home and review. We've been testing the AirPods 5 for the last week and have some initial thoughts. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The ‌AirPods 5‌ have the same overall design and fit as the AirPods 4, so they're just as comfortable as the prior-generation model. Active Noise Cancellation has been improved through new internal acoustic architecture, and it's surprisingly good. The ‌AirPods 5‌ don't have silicone ear tips so you might not expect ANC to work as well as earbuds with a tighter fit, but there is a noticeable improvement over the ANC version of the AirPods 4. Apple says the ‌AirPods 5‌ use low-noise microphones and a new compressor tuned for open-ear ANC. The compressor is tuned to a wider frequency range and can react faster than before when conditions change. Sound is measured for the left and right ears independently, correcting for fit leaks to further improve ANC. Sound quality on the ‌AirPods 5‌ was muddier than on the AirPods Pro 3 , especially in the low mids. iOS 27 has custom EQ, though, which allows for adjustments. The ‌AirPods 5‌ support Adaptive Audio and Transparency, so they have most of the same audio features as the ‌AirPods Pro 3‌. Apple used to limit ANC to the higher-end version of the AirPods 4, but with the ‌AirPods 5‌, it's universal. You can now get AirPods with ANC for just $129. There's an upgraded model with a Wireless Charging Case, an extra hour of battery life, and swipe-based controls on the stem for $149. The base model has four hours of battery with ANC, while the upgraded version offers five hours. Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and other features that were previously limited to the higher-end AirPods 4 model are now on all models. Dust and water resistance has improved, and the AirPods have an IP57 rating, so they'll hold up better to sweat and moisture exposure. With the ANC upgrade and the price drop, the ‌AirPods 5‌ are an excellent value. If you've been hesitant to get AirPods because of the price, this is the version to get. People who have AirPods Pro or AirPods 4 with ANC don't need to upgrade, but it's a big improvement if you have older AirPods. The ‌AirPods 5‌ are available for pre-order and will launch on Friday, September 18. Related Roundup: AirPods 5 Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now) Related Forum: AirPods This article, " AirPods 5 Hands-On: Better Noise Cancellation, Lower Price " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Apple this week released iOS 27 following around three months of beta testing. If you just installed the software update on your iPhone, you might be wondering where the new-and-improved Siri AI and dedicated Siri app are. In case you missed it, you must join Apple's waitlist in order to gain access to these new features. Keep in mind that while iOS 27 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer, Siri AI is limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer. This is because Siri AI requires an iPhone model that is compatible with Apple Intelligence, which we have listed below. Fortunately, joining the Siri AI waitlist is a simple task: Open the Settings app on your iPhone. Tap on the Siri menu . Tap on Try Siri AI (Beta) . Follow the prompts. Wait times seem to vary, with some users receiving access to Siri AI within a few minutes of signing up and others having to wait a few hours or even days. You will receive a notification on your iPhone once you have received access to Siri AI, and the Siri app will automatically appear on your device at that time. You can talk or type to Siri AI in three ways: swipe down on your iPhone's Dynamic Island, press and hold your iPhone's side button to invoke the assistant, or open the Siri app. The classic version of Siri has always been useful for basic actions like setting a timer and checking the weather, but it has notoriously struggled with more advanced requests over the years. Siri AI is much more intelligent and personalized: it is essentially a ChatGPT-like version of Siri that can respond to most questions. Siri AI can draw on your personal information stored on your iPhone, has on-screen awareness, and can perform actions in more apps that support it. The new Siri is limited to English to start, but Apple said support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish will be available in October, likely as part of the release of iOS 27.1. Apple said Siri AI has unspecified daily usage limits, but it noted that expanded access will be coming with select iCloud+ plans. Siri AI is not available in the EU on iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27 at launch, as Apple is in a regulatory battle with the European Commission. The following iPhone models are compatible with Siri AI: iPhone 18 Pro iPhone 18 Pro Max iPhone Duo iPhone 17e iPhone 17 iPhone 17 Pro iPhone 17 Pro Max iPhone Air iPhone 16e iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max You can adjust Siri AI's pace and expressivity on these iPhone models: iPhone 18 Pro iPhone 18 Pro Max iPhone Duo iPhone 17 Pro iPhone 17 Pro Max iPhone Air Apple still considers Siri AI to be in beta even though iOS 27 is no longer in beta overall. Related Roundups: iOS 27 , iPadOS 27 Tags: Siri , Siri AI Related Forum: iOS 27 This article, " Reminder: iOS 27's All-New Siri AI Has a Waitlist, Here's How to Sign Up " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
