AirPods 5 are priced at ₱9,490 in the Philippines, with a second model that adds a wireless charging case at ₱10,990, according to Apple's Philippine store. Both were announced at Apple's September 9 event, and both include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) — the feature that separated the two AirPods 4 models a year ago is now standard on Apple's entry-level earbuds.
What is new in AirPods 5
Apple's pitch is noise cancellation in an open-ear design, meaning earbuds that rest in the ear without silicone tips. Apple says AirPods 5 remove up to 50 percent more noise than AirPods 4 with ANC, thanks to redesigned internals it calls a multiport acoustic architecture, paired with a next-generation Adaptive EQ that tunes sound to the shape of your ear.
The software features carry over from the Pro line:
- Adaptive Audio balances noise cancellation against your surroundings automatically.
- Conversation Awareness lowers media volume when you start speaking.
- Head gestures let you answer Siri by nodding or shaking your head.
- Live Translation and hands-free Siri AI with personal context, which Apple says rolls out with the iOS 27 beta on September 14.
- Personalized Spatial Audio, as noted in 9to5Mac's coverage.
Dave Pakula, Apple's vice president of hardware engineering, framed the launch around price, calling ANC “one of our most beloved features” and saying the company is bringing it to its most affordable AirPods.
The two models compared
| AirPods 5 | AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case |
|---|
| Philippine price | ₱9,490 | ₱10,990 |
| US price | $129 (around ₱8,100) | $149 (around ₱9,300) |
| Active Noise Cancellation | Yes | Yes |
| Listening time with ANC on | Up to 4 hours | Up to 5 hours |
| Total with case | Not stated by Apple | Up to 22 hours |
| Volume swipe on stem | No | Yes |
| Case charging | USB-C | USB-C, Qi wireless, Apple Watch charger |
Apple's press release lists the 22-hour total for the wireless-case model, while 9to5Mac's report cites up to 20 hours with the case, so treat the case total as roughly 20 to 22 hours until reviews measure it. The stem-swipe volume control, borrowed from AirPods Pro, is exclusive to the ₱10,990 model. Both versions get improved sweat, water and dust resistance, though Apple has not published a formal IP rating.
On materials, Apple lists 40 percent recycled content overall, 70 percent recycled plastic in the case and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery.
Price and availability in the Philippines
Apple's Philippine store lists both prices but shows “check back later for availability,” so there is no local order date yet. In the US and other first-wave markets, pre-orders opened September 9 and units reach stores on Friday, September 18. Local coverage says the earbuds will reach Philippine stores soon, without a date.
On price, the ₱9,490 base model is about ₱1,400 above a straight conversion of its $129 US price, a smaller local premium than Apple's watches and phones carry. The bigger change for Filipino buyers is what the money buys: last year, getting ANC on entry-level AirPods meant paying for the higher AirPods 4 tier. Now the cheapest AirPods Apple sells include it.
Should existing AirPods owners upgrade?
The case for upgrading is strongest for AirPods 4 owners without ANC and for anyone on AirPods 3 or older, since ANC, Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness are all new to them at this price. Owners of AirPods 4 with ANC get a claimed 50 percent noise-reduction improvement plus the new Siri AI features, but the same open-ear fit. Anyone who needs silicone tips for a tighter seal is still better served by AirPods Pro. Note that Siri AI and Live Translation depend on iOS 27, which requires an iPhone 11 or newer, and Siri AI launches in beta.
