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AirPods 5 bring ANC and Live Translation to Apple’s £119 earbuds
Both AirPods 5 models include Active Noise Cancellation and Live Translation with a compatible iPhone. UK pre-orders start at £119, ahead of their arrival on 18 September.
Apple has opened UK pre-orders for AirPods 5, bringing Active Noise Cancellation and Live Translation to its cheapest earbuds. The standard pair costs £119; spending £139 adds wireless charging, volume swipes and longer battery life. Both arrive on 18 September 2026.
That £20 gap is worth looking at before ordering. Apple includes the same main audio and AI features in both versions, so somebody who charges by cable doesn’t have to pay extra for translation or adaptive listening. There are still good reasons to consider the £219 AirPods Pro 3, particularly for long journeys, but the cheaper models deserve a look before you spend another £80–£100.
£20 buys better controls, charging and battery life
Both versions use Apple’s H2 chip and include ANC, Transparency, Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness, which lowers playback volume when you speak. Voice Isolation, Personalised Spatial Audio and Adaptive EQ are shared too. Apple rates both models IP57 for dust, sweat and water resistance.
The differences in Apple’s specifications are practical ones:
| Feature | AirPods 5 £119 | With Wireless Charging Case £139 |
|---|---|---|
| ANC listening time* | Up to 4 hours | Up to 5 hours |
| Total with case* | Up to 20 hours | Up to 22 hours |
| Volume swipe | No | Yes |
| Case charging | USB-C | USB-C, Apple Watch or Qi charger |
| Find My case speaker | No | Yes |
*Apple’s battery ratings with ANC enabled, rather than AIWearHQ test results. Calls, volume and other features will affect endurance.
The longer single-charge battery is probably the most useful reason to spend the extra £20 if you listen for several hours at a time. Cable charging is easy enough to live with; having to put the earbuds away before the end of a journey is harder to work around.
Live Translation needs a compatible iPhone
Live Translation is advertised for both AirPods 5 models. It needs an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone, Apple’s Translate app, downloaded languages and current software and AirPods firmware. That includes iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone 16 family onwards; an ordinary iPhone 15 doesn’t qualify. Check Apple’s device compatibility list before buying for AI features.
Once the languages are downloaded, Apple says translation processing happens on the iPhone. You hear translated speech through the earbuds. Someone without compatible AirPods can read your translated response on the phone or hear it through its speaker. The earbuds aren’t doing the whole conversation unaided.
Apple’s UK store lists UK and US English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish and Simplified and Traditional Mandarin. Its older setup guide, dated 8 April, still doesn’t list AirPods 5 as of 10 September, although the new product pages explicitly confirm support. Follow the launch requirements for the new pair and check for updated setup guidance when they arrive.
Translation can make mistakes. Apple’s warning covers inaccurate, unexpected or offensive output, so important information needs checking. If translation is your main reason for buying, our AI earbuds buying guide explains why the phone, languages and conversation mode deserve as much attention as the earbuds.
Siri AI’s beta starts on 14 September
Apple plans to begin the English-language Siri AI beta with iOS 27 on 14 September, four days before the earbuds reach shops. French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish are due in October. At publication on 10 September, that announced rollout is still ahead of us.
The new assistant will use information from your phone and supported apps to answer more personal questions and carry out tasks. Apple’s examples include finding a reservation in email and playing a song a friend mentioned in a message. The AirPods provide hands-free access; the wider Apple Intelligence system supplies the assistant. Some requests use server-side models and are subject to daily usage limits, with regional and device differences affecting availability.
You won’t necessarily need new earbuds for this. Apple’s launch announcement says hands-free Siri AI access works with all AirPods, provided the connected device meets the requirements. Keep that in mind if the pair you already own still fits and works well.
The ANC improvement still needs independent testing
Apple says AirPods 5 remove up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC, attributing the improvement to redesigned acoustics and audio processing. Its claim to lead the open-ear category comes from Apple’s own July 2026 testing with prerelease firmware, iOS 27 and an iPhone 17, using the IEC 60268-24 method.
We haven’t tested AirPods 5, and we haven’t found substantial independent testing of the new pair to establish how those claims translate to a noisy train, wind or office conversation. Without a silicone tip forming a seal, fit will be especially worth investigating. The same caution applies to Apple’s promises of richer sound: launch specifications can’t tell you whether you’ll like listening to them.
Pro 3 need to earn their extra £80–£100
Apple still charges £219 for AirPods Pro 3. The silicone-tip fit, heart-rate sensing during workouts and up to eight hours of ANC listening time distinguish them from AirPods 5. Apple also claims up to three times the ANC of AirPods 5; that remains a manufacturer comparison.
Pro 3 include Hearing Test, Hearing Aid and Hearing Protection features, which Apple lists as available in the UK subject to the relevant software and eligibility requirements. Availability elsewhere varies; Apple’s hearing-feature country list separates the functions and models.
Our AirPods Pro 3 review explains the evidence behind their sound, fit and noise-cancelling performance. We’ve updated its buying advice to account for AirPods 5. Translation alone was already a weak reason to upgrade: AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with ANC support it too.