
AirPods Just Leveled Up: Studio-Quality Audio & Camera Control Are Coming
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Apple is giving AirPods a serious upgrade this fall—and content creators are going to love it. Announced at WWDC, these new features coming via a free firmware update bring studio-quality voice recording and remote camera control to select AirPods models. Here’s what’s coming and why it matters.
Studio-Quality Audio Recording, Right from Your Ears
Apple is unlocking studio-grade recording for AirPods, powered by the H2 chip, beamforming mics, and computational audio magic. The new feature uses Voice Isolation to capture clearer, more natural vocal recordings straight to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
You’ll be able to use this for:
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Voice Memos
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Camera app videos
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Dictation in Messages
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Video conferencing tools like Webex
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Even regular phone and FaceTime calls will get a clarity boost
Whether you're podcasting, recording content, or just want your voice to sound sharper in calls, this feature gives your AirPods a major professional edge.
Remote Camera Control from Your AirPods
Another creator-friendly addition: AirPods as a camera remote. You can now press and hold the stem to start recording video or snap a photo in the Camera app (or supported third-party camera apps). Hold again to stop.
Perfect for solo shoots, action setups, or just getting the perfect selfie with the phone propped up somewhere creative. It's one of those small features with big-time usefulness.
Device Compatibility and Rollout Timeline
These new features are coming to:
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AirPods 4
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AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation
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AirPods Pro 2
The features require your Apple devices to be running iOS 26, iPadOS 26, or macOS Tahoe 26.
Here’s the rollout plan:
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Developer beta is already available
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Public beta hits next month
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Final release lands this fall
Just note: some features might not be available everywhere or in all languages.