Apple AirPods 5 review: Who needs the Pro, anyway?

mashable.com Sep 22, 2026

Apple AirPods 5 review: Who needs the Pro, anyway?

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 22, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Apple released the AirPods 5, a redesigned, lower‑priced version of the 2024 AirPods 4 that now includes active noise cancellation (ANC) at the base price of $129. The premium model, priced at $149, adds a wireless charging case and a volume‑swipe sensor on the earbud neck. Compared to the AirPods 4, the new AirPods 5 offer improved ANC, longer battery life (five hours vs. four), and a more compact form factor. Apple’s move eliminates the previous price gap between standard and ANC models, positioning the AirPods 5 as a competitive alternative to the Pro line.

💡 Why It Matters

· By bundling ANC into the base model, Apple disrupts its own tiered pricing strategy, making high‑quality noise cancellation accessible to a broader audience.
· This shift could pressure competitors to rethink feature‑tier differentiation in the wireless‑earbud market.

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Second developer betas of iOS 27.2, macOS 27.2 are out now

Apple has released the second developer betas for iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2, and macOS 27.2, following the initial builds that debuted on September 16. The new betas include updated build numbers (e.g., iOS 27.2 beta 2 24B5089g) and introduce features such as a redesigned Health app compatible with Apple Watch Ultra 4, dual‑capture FaceTime, and expanded Siri AI localization. Apple also issued macOS release candidates for earlier generations. Users are cautioned to test betas on secondary devices due to potential instability.

💡 The betas signal Apple’s rapid iteration toward a stable 27.2 release, offering developers early access to new health and communication features that could reshape app functionality. This accelerated rollout also underscores the company’s strategy to prioritize foldable‑friendly builds, hinting at broader hardware shifts.

9to5mac.com · Sep 22

watchOS 27.2 beta 2 brings the App Switcher back with a new…

Apple released watchOS 27.2 beta 2, reintroducing the App Switcher that was removed in watchOS 27. The new beta restores the feature with a long‑press gesture on the bottom of the screen, allowing users to scroll through recent apps with the Digital Crown or swipe left to close them. The update follows developer feedback and addresses complaints about the missing double‑click Digital Crown shortcut. The beta is available to developers, with a final release expected next month.

💡 Restoring the App Switcher improves multitasking on the Apple Watch, addressing a long‑standing user frustration and demonstrating Apple’s responsiveness to developer and consumer input.

techcrunch.com · Sep 22

The man who built Apple’s stores doesn’t buy Silicon Valley’s bet on…

Ron Johnson, the architect of Apple’s retail empire, cautions that the surge of AI‑driven “agentic commerce” will not replace physical stores. In a TechCrunch interview, the 66‑year‑old former Apple executive argued that high‑ticket items like laptops remain too personal for consumers to entrust entirely to AI agents, emphasizing the need to see, feel, and test products in person. Johnson noted that AI can streamline research and narrow choices, but the final purchase decision will still occur in‑store, where Apple’s hallmark—trained staff focused on service rather than commissions—creates a differentiated experience. He contrasted Apple’s evolving storefront model with his brief, failed tenure at J.C. Penney, and affirmed his optimism about AI’s broader potential while rejecting it as a wholesale substitute for human judgment.

💡 Johnson’s stance challenges the prevailing narrative that AI will render brick‑and‑mortar retail obsolete, suggesting that tactile experience and personal service will remain decisive factors for premium purchases.

us.headtopics.com · Sep 22

Apple Introduces Foldable iPhone Duo at CEO John Ternus’s First Event

Apple unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, at a product launch led by new CEO John Ternus, marking his inaugural major event since succeeding Tim Cook less than two weeks earlier. The announcement, part of Apple’s annual iPhone hardware showcase, signals a strategic pivot from the long‑standing “iPhone era” toward an AI‑centric roadmap. Bloomberg reported that the timing of the Duo’s debut was intentional, reflecting Ternus’s intent to reshape Apple’s culture and product narrative. The event also highlighted Apple’s meticulous storytelling approach, using hardware launches to convey broader corporate direction. Analysts noted the Duo’s design as a tangible step into flexible‑display technology, while executives emphasized its integration with Apple’s emerging AI services, positioning the device as a flagship for the next generation of smart‑phone experiences.

💡 The iPhone Duo positions Apple at the forefront of foldable tech, directly tying hardware innovation to its AI ambitions and redefining the company’s flagship identity.

9to5mac.com · Sep 21

WhatsApp now lets Apple Watch users react with any emoji

WhatsApp has expanded its Apple Watch emoji reaction feature to include the full watchOS emoji library. After a limited rollout that offered only six preset reactions, the app now allows users to access all eight emoji categories—Smileys, Nature, Food, Activity, Travel, Objects, Symbols, and Flags—through a larger picker. Users can tap a message, hold for defaults, or open the full picker to select any emoji, including recent choices. The rollout is gradual, potentially taking several weeks to reach all users.

💡 By enabling full emoji reactions directly on the Apple Watch, WhatsApp removes the need to pull an iPhone for expressive replies, streamlining communication for on‑the‑go users.

appleinsider.com · Sep 21

Apple’s iOS 27.2 beta 2 reveals new anti-snatching protections

Apple is testing a new anti‑theft feature, internally named “AutoLock,” in the iOS 27.2 beta 2 build. The system monitors sudden acceleration, loss of connection to a paired Apple Watch, prolonged network outage, and extended unlocked time to infer a snatch‑and‑grab event and automatically lock the iPhone before a thief can access it. Apple is also adding safeguards such as biometric checks, app‑activity analysis and a back‑off timer to reduce false positives. In the current beta the locking mechanism remains disabled; the software runs in the background to collect data for further refinement. The rollout follows reports that iPhones are a preferred target for thieves in cities like London, where “Apple picking” has become a known crime, and prompting industry attention worldwide.

💡 Locking phones the instant they’re snatched could cripple a lucrative theft market, forcing criminals to rethink targeting high‑value devices.