Report suggests AirPods 3 might launch later this year
Apple’s recently released $149 Beats Studio Buds are a great alternative to AirPods and AirPods Pro. They come with a stem-less design that makes the earphones stand out less than the AirPods. They deliver the same noise-canceling features as the more expensive AirPods Pro and feature removable tips. But the new Beats might not be what those waiting on the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 that have appeared in many rumors this year are looking for. A brand new report from Asia claims that the AirPod 3 release date might be near.
AirPods 3 will not be the actual name of Apple’s upcoming affordable AirPods wireless earphones. There’s no numbering scheme in place for a product that doesn’t see yearly releases. Apple has launched two AirPods generations since 2017, when the first model debuted. They feature the same design with a long stem. The AirPods 2 come with a charging case that charges wirelessly and improved silicon.
The AirPods 3 will bring over a significant redesign. In practice, Apple will recycle the AirPods Pro design. The AirPods 3 will have a smaller stem but won’t support noise cancellation. That’s what various reports claimed earlier this year.
The mystery of the AirPods 3 release date
Despite the garden variety of AirPods rumors this year, we’ve seen puzzling release date estimates. Some say Apple will only launch the AirPods 3 this year, with the AirPods Pro 2 to hit stores in 2022. But we have no concrete launch details for either model.
In a new report that focuses mostly on the iPhone, Nikkei Asia snuck a detail about the AirPods 3. According to sources, Apple plans updated versions for other products in the second half of the year. The list includes the new MacBook Pro and a “new version of AirPods.”
