How Apple Built Its Best AirPods Features on a Foundation of Noise Cancellation Noise canceling headphones were once a niche product, primarily for air travel. Companies like Bose and Sennheiser pioneered the technology for pilots long before wireless earbuds became mainstream. Today, active noise cancellation, or ANC, is a standard expectation for consumer headphones. For Apple, however, ANC has become much more than just a way to block sound. It is the fundamental technology powering some of the most innovative features in its AirPods lineup. During the development of its four ANC-equipped AirPods models, Apple has leveraged its noise-blocking system to create a natural-sounding transparency mode, develop the automatic Adaptive Audio feature, and build accessibility tools like Conversation Awareness. With the latest AirPods Pro 3, Apple has refined this entire ecosystem of features even further. As Eric Treski, Apple’s director of home and audio product marketing, explained, the goal with ANC was to extend its capability to other use cases. The overall redesign of the AirPods Pro 3 plays a crucial role. Apple adjusted the direction of the sound so it travels more directly into the ear canal. The new fit, which includes foam-filled ear tips, creates a superior seal that makes the ANC system more efficient. This better fit allows Apple to diagnose what is happening inside the ear, making ANC more precise and better understanding the geometry of individual ear canals. Matthew Costello, vice president of audio and hardware engineering, noted that the new tips provide the best seal of any AirPods to date, contributing significantly to passive noise isolation. To improve the ANC tech itself, engineers implemented headroom control to get more feedback from the internal microphones. These mics monitor any unwanted noise that enters the ear canal, prompting the system to make adjustments. The team optimized performance through a combination of software, geometry, and acoustics. They also redesigned and repositioned the noise floor microphones, creating a cleaner and more predictable signal. A new self-tuning algorithm uses data from these mics to identify exactly what is happening inside the ear, all in the name of greater precision. This evolving, more precise ANC system is the foundation for many other AirPods features. As noise cancellation improves, so does transparency mode. Because the system can now account for a wider range of frequencies, the pass-through of ambient sound is more personalized to the user’s hearing. The expanded frequency coverage also makes Adaptive Audio more effective at detecting loud, high-pitched sounds. This enhances Apple’s hearing protection tools, which automatically reduce exposure to dangerously loud noises like construction sounds or sirens. The improved audio profile helps the system better understand when to apply more noise cancellation in loud environments and how to balance ANC with transparency. These advancements also benefit Apple’s hearing health features. The hearing test within iOS can now be taken in slightly louder environments without prompting the user to move. Furthermore, the hearing aid functionality has been expanded with more gain, allowing it to assist users with mild to moderate hearing loss. All these features were developed in collaboration with audiologists to ensure safety and efficacy. One of the most impressive demonstrations of ANC’s utility is in the new Live Translation feature. When a conversation begins, active noise cancellation activates to lower the volume of the person speaking and reduce environmental noise. This ensures the user can clearly hear Siri’s translations. The focus is on allowing the user to concentrate on the voice without distraction from surrounding sounds. What started as a technology for airplanes has evolved into a versatile platform. Apple has taken the ability to block noise and applied it to language translation, hearing preservation, and personalized audio experiences. The underlying H2 chip likely has more potential, suggesting that even more ANC-powered features are on the horizon for future AirPods.
