The AirPods 4 is one of the biggest upgrades to the long-running AirPods base model There is a new ANC option for those who want to block out the outside world, a sleek new design, and the H2 chip from the AirPods Pro 2

There is also a brand new USB-C port on the bottom from which the battery can be charged However, the discerning eye will notice a problem if they check out the AirPods model comparison page on Apple's website

There is no USB-C cable

Despite the new ports, new design, and even MagSafe charging, the USB-C cable is not in the box when you buy the latest AirPods It's not even a MagSafe cable, which you would expect to purchase separately, but a regular USB-C cable

Now, if you are buying the AirPods 4, it stands to reason that you likely already have some way to connect the AirPods for charging, such as an existing USB-C cable on your iPhone or iPad, or another USB-C compatible device airpods 4's ANC version is even more likely to have something that can charge them, as the case also has wireless charging capabilities

But what if they don't? What if you are still using an iPhone 8 and upgrading from AirPods 2? In that case, you would only have a lighting cable and would have to invest in Apple's expensive cable, which costs $30

It makes more sense to have no cable in the box, considering that once the AirPods Pro 3 is released, you will be upgrading from a pair with a cable However, it seems odd to release a replacement for something with a completely different connector It is not hard to see why Apple did this But it is smart to say that it is for something that some users might actually need