AirPods 5: macOS code already shows the two models that could arrive in September

Apple is preparing two AirPods 5 models, one with active noise cancellation and one without. Mark Gurman reported that they could be unveiled on September 9, and a macOS update has already left traces that support it.

This would be the first refresh of the mid-range AirPods since September 2024. What follows is what is backed by evidence, what is reasonable speculation, and one feature that probably will not arrive for a physical reason.

What is known about AirPods 5

Apple is reportedly preparing two models, with and without active noise cancellation, repeating the AirPods 4 setup. The strongest evidence is two product identifiers that appeared in macOS 26.7. The announcement would be on September 9, although Apple has not confirmed any audio product for that day.

The macOS codes: why they matter

In the macOS Tahoe 26.7 update, released on August 17, two new identifiers appeared: B868M and B868E.

The detail that makes this data useful is the comparison. The current AirPods 4 are internally labeled B768M and B768E: M corresponds to the base model, and E to the one that adds noise cancellation. The pattern repeats exactly one number higher.

This is not a factory leak or an analyst comment: it is Apple’s own operating system recognizing hardware that does not yet exist in the store. That kind of trace usually appears weeks before the announcement, because the software team needs the devices to pair on launch day.

What this data confirms is the number of models and the split between them. What it does not say is anything about specs, design, or price.

The H3 chip

This is where the speculation begins. AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3 share the same H2 chip, which Apple has been using since 2022. The expectation is that AirPods 5 will debut an H3 with better sound quality and lower latency.

No primary source supports this yet. It is an inference based on the component’s age, not a confirmed fact: the H2 is already four years old, and a generational refresh is the natural place to replace it.

Heart rate sensor: why it is harder than it seems

The feature that appears most often in rumor lists is the heart rate sensor, and it is the least convincing one.

Apple already has it working in two products: AirPods Pro 3 and Powerbeats Pro 2. Both share something the mid-range AirPods do not have: a secure fit. The Pro use a silicone tip that seals the ear canal; the Powerbeats add an ear hook.

That is not just a comfort detail. An optical pulse sensor measures light reflections on the skin, and it needs constant contact in the same spot. Any relative movement between the sensor and the ear adds noise to the reading. An open-fit earbud, which rests in place without sealing, moves when walking, talking, and chewing — exactly when someone would want to measure their pulse.

Apple may solve it. But if AirPods 5 keep the open design of the 4, the sensor is the weakest part of the rumor package, not the most likely one.

Where they would fit in the lineup

To understand how much room Apple has, it is worth looking at the full lineup as it stands today.

The table shows the real problem Apple has to solve, and it is not the chip. It is battery life: the mid-range model with noise cancellation lasts half as long as the Pro with the same feature enabled. That is the number that truly separates the two tiers, more than sound or sensors.

Price and when they arrive

If Apple keeps the current structure, AirPods 5 would start at US$129, and the noise-canceling model at US$179.

There is a reason to doubt that. The Macs Apple introduced via press release went up by US$300 to US$500 compared with the previous generation, due to component costs. Earbuds use far less memory than a computer, so the pressure is lower, but the company has already shown in 2026 that it passes on increases instead of absorbing them.

What is not coming: AirPods with cameras

It is worth separating one thing from the other, because they appear mixed together in almost every list. AirPods with infrared cameras are a different project, aimed at 2027 and designed to feed Visual Intelligence features. They are not part of this launch.

Conclusion

The hard data is the number of models, and that is enough to know what to expect: a maintenance refresh, not a category leap. A newer chip, probably somewhat better battery life, and the same form factor.

If you have AirPods 4, there is nothing here that justifies replacing them. If you are coming from AirPods 2 or 3, wait for the announcement: the difference will be big either way, and it is worth seeing whether the price holds.

And if what you want is to measure your pulse or truly isolate yourself from noise, the product is still the Pro, with or without AirPods 5 in the middle. The silicone tip is not a design whim: it is what makes almost everything that separates the two tiers possible.

Author

Alexis Paez