People are flocking to social media to share their thoughts on a new feature of Apple’s AirPods 4, unsure how it will appear when used “in public.”
On September 9, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage at the “It’s Glowtime” event at Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California, to unveil the latest advancements in the company’s tech.
While the spotlight was largely on the new iPhone 16, Apple also revealed the AirPods 4. According to Apple’s website, the AirPods 4 deliver “a massive improvement in sound quality” with “an entirely new acoustic architecture, low-distortion driver, and high dynamic range amplifier.” They also introduce “Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for the most immersive media experience.”
The site continues: “With the H2 chip, AirPods 4 unlock intelligent audio experiences only Apple silicon can deliver, such as Voice Isolation, enabling clearer call quality no matter the environmental conditions.”
A unique new feature involves Siri Interactions, allowing users to “nod their head yes or gently shake their head no to respond to Siri announcements,” including answering or rejecting incoming calls.
Apple’s newsroom first detailed Siri Interactions in June 2024, explaining: “AirPods Pro users will be able to simply nod yes or shake their head no to respond to Siri, particularly useful in crowded or quiet areas where speaking out loud isn’t ideal. This feature, powered by machine learning on the H2 chip, allows users to manage calls, messages, and notifications without speaking.”
Reactions to this feature quickly surfaced online, with many sharing humorous videos of exaggerated head movements.
One Twitter user responded: “I just snorted, holy.”
Another wrote: “If I answered a call like this, I’d look weird outside…”
Others chimed in, saying, “This is gonna look so funny in public,” and “Me rejecting every call.”
One person joked, “So now I can not only look like I’m talking to myself but also nod to myself too!”