AirPods 3 (But AirPods 2 Will Remain)
Kuo also weighs in on Apple’s plans for a new set of third-generation AirPods, adding the surprising twist that these could complement the current second-generation AirPods, rather than replacing them.
While it’s almost a sure thing that AirPods 3 are coming this month with a new design and likely wireless charging as a standard feature, it’s been harder to guess whether Apple will actually show them off at its event, or quietly slip them out via press release.
The last time Apple headphones got any stage time at all was back in 2016, when the very first AirPods made their debut. It was obvious why Apple would have wanted to show those off, yet the AirPods Pro, and even the premium AirPods Max were simply announced on Apple’s website.
Of course, that could also just be a matter of timing, and perhaps the fact that the AirPods 3 are ready will be enough for Apple to at least give them a passing mention. Kuo certainly seems to think so, as he’s told investors that they’ll be coming as part of tomorrow’s iPhone 13 event.
More significantly, however, Kuo reveals that Apple hasn’t stopped producing its second-generation AirPods, which means it obviously has no plans to discontinue the older models.
This means that the AirPods 3 will essentially become the higher-end model, although Kuo couldn’t offer any insight into whether that means that Apple will drop the price of the current AirPods or simply sell the AirPods 3 with a higher price tag.
Since wireless charging is expected to be standard on the new AirPods, one plausible scenario is for the current AirPods with the standard wired charging case to remain at the $159 price point, while the AirPods 3 take up the $199 slot.
Either way, the new third-generation AirPods are expected to offer a new in-ear design that’s more similar to the AirPods Pro, but without the replaceable ear tips, along with a new charging case design and likely Apple’s next-generation “H2” chip. They’ll possibly also feature slight improvements to battery life and sound quality, although they’re not gaining the more advanced AirPods Pro features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).