When iOS 26 launches this autumn, AirPods users can look forward to two significant new capabilities. If you possess AirPods 4, AirPods 4 with ANC, or AirPods Pro 2, the company is rolling out enhanced methods to assist you in capturing content and elevating your communication.
**Studio-quality audio recording:** Apple states that interviewers, podcasters, singers, and other creators will have the ability to “record their content with enhanced sound quality, and even capture it while on the move or in noisy settings with Voice Isolation.”
These upgraded recordings will be accessible across iPhone, iPad, and Mac within the Camera app, Voice Memos, dictation in Messages, as well as third-party camera and video conferencing applications.
The company claims that the H2 chip, beam-forming microphones, and computational audio present in these AirPods models provide “more natural vocal texture and clarity during iPhone calls, FaceTime, and CallKit-enabled apps.”
**Camera remote:** Another intriguing addition to the AirPods ecosystem in iOS 26 is the camera remote feature, which allows content creators to “press and hold the AirPods stem to take a photo or initiate a video recording.” A subsequent press-and-hold will conclude the recording.
Apple indicates that this feature is ideal for those who enjoy “capturing themselves while singing or dancing.”
**Compatible devices and release date**
Apple mentions that these new functionalities will be available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program, with a public beta launching this July, and an official release later this autumn. These features will be compatible with the following AirPods models:
– AirPods 4
– AirPods 4 with ANC
– AirPods Pro 2
**AirPods’ new iOS 26 features are merely the beginning of a broader update**
Apple has been relatively silent regarding new AirPods features lately, likely due to the company focusing on the forthcoming AirPods Pro 3. With an upgraded audio chip, Apple aims to enhance existing capabilities while introducing new features.
