Apple’s AirPods headphones – which dropped with out an enormous quantity of curiosity in 2016 – hit some sort of inflection level spherical about 2018, and all of the sudden turned the new factor. (One member of the Macworld crew places this right down to a wave of memes the remainder of us are too outdated to know.) This was handily timed for the 2019 updates, because the second-gen after which Professional variations of the AirPods launched to a newly receptive public and bought just like the proverbial sizzling desserts. Then got here the AirPods Max in late 2020, the third era AirPods in 2021 and the second-gen AirPods Professional in 2022.
The place subsequent, then, for the AirPods? On this article we are going to have a look at all of the totally different AirPods, evaluating when Apple would possibly subsequent replace them and the brand new options that might arrive with the following era. We’ll additionally talk about rumors that Apple is about to launch a brand new cheaper AirPods Lite – or AirPods SE – class.
Will there be new AirPods in 2023?
There are at the moment three forms of AirPods: The usual AirPods, the AirPods Professional and the AirPods Max. Whereas Apple doesn’t replace every class of AirPod on a yearly bases, it does are inclined to introduce a brand new set of AirPods every year.
- September 2017: 1st-gen AirPods launched
- March 2019: 2nd-gen AirPods launched
- October 2019: 1st-gen AirPods Professional launched
- December 2020: 1st-gen AirPods Max launched
- October 2021: Third-gen AirPods launched
- September 2022: 2nd-gen AirPods Professional launched
Based mostly on the above it could be logical to conclude that AirPods Max are subsequent on the checklist. Now greater than two years outdated the AirPods Max can’t play Apple’s lossless audio, which is an omission that must be rectified. The know-how to attain this will not but be obtainable although.
As an alternative of updating the AirPods Max in 2023 Apple could as an alternative introduce a brand new AirPods class. There have been rumors that Apple plans to launch new AirPods Lite or AirPods SE headphones for a while. In January 2023 analyst Ming-Chi Kuo described these as “extra reasonably priced AirPods (with Apple concentrating on a value of $99)”.
Earlier in January 2023 analyst Jeff Pu additionally referenced Apple plans to introduce the AirPods Lite, a cheaper model of the usual AirPods, with a value beginning at $99. He added that Apple has no plans to replace any of the present AirPods, so the AirPods Lite could also be a option to stimulate curiosity within the present line up.
Nonetheless, Kuo had urged we would have to attend till 2024 for this new AirPods class.
Hopefully the wait for brand spanking new AirPods gained’t be that lengthy although. Code in iOS 16.4 apparently references new AirPods with the mannequin quantity A3048. What isn’t clear is which AirPods this code pertains to. It could possibly be a brand new pair of AirPods Max as there a code for a case was additionally recognized within the iOS replace which could possibly be a code for a brand new Sensible Case.
AirPods Lite launch date
In January 2023 Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted a sequence of feedback and predictions associated to Apple’s AirPods enterprise, together with a reference to the funds set of AirPods. Nonetheless he urged that they could not ship till the second quarter of 2024 and even 2025.
We actually hope that the wait isn’t that lengthy for this rumored AirPods Lite launch. With most AirPods launches taking place within the fall we hope to see them arrive in September 2023 alongside the iPhone 15.
AirPods Max 2 launch date
By the winter of 2023 the AirPods Max can be three years outdated and due an replace.
In Could 2022 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in a e-newsletter that new AirPods Max could possibly be imminent. He wrote: “Look out for an AirPods Max refresh with new colours (and, we hope, a value drop – $550 is absurd for these headphones)”. No replace arrived in 2022, and, as per Ming-Chi Kuo’s tweet above, the brand new AirPods Max could not arrive till the top of 2024 on the earliest.
AirPods 4 launch date
The third-gen AirPods arrived in October 2021. That replace got here two and a half years after the second era launched. We could possibly be ready till 2024 for an replace to the AirPods, though there could possibly be an excellent longer wait if Kuo is right and the brand new Max and Lite fashions gained’t launch till 2024 or 2025.
We might see an replace to the Third-gen AirPods if Apple provides USB-C charging to the case.
AirPods Professional 3 launch date
The second-gen AirPods Professional arrived in September 2022. That replace got here three years after the primary era launched. On that point scale we could possibly be ready till 2025 for an replace to the AirPods Professional, however the wait could possibly be even longer.
Earlier than the third-gen AirPods Professional arrive Apple could introduce a brand new model of the second-gen with a USB-C port on the charging case (reasonably than Lightning). That’s in keeping with Ming-Chi Kuo and the replace might arrive within the third or fourth quarter of 2023.
How a lot will new AirPods value?
The AirPods and AirPods Professional are unlikely to see a value change, though the costs exterior the U.S. could also be adjusted sooner or later, as Apple has performed with each different product.
Apple’s present pricing construction for its headphones is as follows:
- Apple Earbuds $19/£19
- AirPods 2nd-gen $129/£139
- AirPoids Third-gen (Lightning) $169/£179
- AirPoids Third-gen (MagSafe) $179/£189
- AirPods Professional 2nd-gen $249/£249
- AirPods Max $549/£549
The AirPods Max might even see a value reduce, primarily based on Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggestion above–though that gave the impression to be extra of a hope than a sign.
Ming-Chi Kuo refers to $99 as the value goal for the AirPods Lite. This compares to the AirPods 2, that are nonetheless bought by Apple for $129/£139. It’s possible that if Apple introduces the AirPods Lite it should cease promoting the older AirPods as a funds providing. Apple’s want to supply AirPods at this value level would permit it to compete on the decrease finish of the market. They’d successfully be the SE providing for the AirPods, much like Apple’s Apple Watch SE and iPhone SE.
We have now a spherical up of the Finest wi-fi earbuds for iPhone and the greatest wired headphones in case you’d like to think about alternate options to AirPods.
New AirPods specs and options
There are a number of limitations that Apple could also be addressing with new AirPods.
Lossless audio
One space ripe for enchancment is the power to play Apple’s hi-res lossless audio, which the corporate launched in June 2021. Bluetooth headphones–together with all of Apple’s AirPods–aren’t able to enjoying audio at this decision.
USB-C
Additionally more likely to get an replace is the lightning port on the AirPods charging case. With Apple about to undertake USB-C as an alternative of Lightning throughout all its product classes, because of a ruling within the European Union, Apple has to maneuver away from Lightning and it’s thought that the 2023 iPhones could have USB-C ports as an alternative of Lightning, for instance. The AirPods look set to observe this development.
Each AirPods case might change to USB-C, in keeping with a tweet from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in August 2022.
Kuo adopted this tweet up in March 2023 suggesting that Apple will introduce a model of the second-generation AirPods Professional later in 2023 with USB-C charging case. He indicated that the third-gen of the usual AirPods won’t get this USB-C replace.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (in a Energy On e-newsletter from October 2022) expects all three AirPods fashions to maneuver to USB-C by the top of 2023 although.
AirPods Max
The AirPods Max, regardless of their excessive value, aren’t at the moment able to enjoying Apple’s hi-res lossless audio. An replace in 2023 did deliver some capability to play high-res audio on these headphones if they’re used within the wired format. Customers can plug within the AirPods Max by way of the Lightning to three.5mm audio cable and luxuriate in higher high quality sound, however Apple signifies that “Given the analogue-to-digital conversion within the cable, the playback won’t be fully lossless.”
Apple will little question be searching for a option to deliver this know-how to the AirPods Max.
AirPods Lite
There was discuss of cheaper AirPods for some years now. Initially the rumors pointed to AirPods Professional Lite, with a Digitimes report (subscription required) in February 2020 claiming such Apple earphones had been coming in 2020.
AirPods Professional Lite could be a contradictory-sounding mixture of luxurious and worth. It appears extra possible that the AirPods Professional Lite referred to by that report had been the AirPods 3, which arrived on the finish of 2021.
If, as rumored, these new AirPods are priced round $99 then they’re more likely to have funds options. For an thought of what to anticipate we might look to the 2nd-gen AirPods, that are nonetheless on sale however more likely to be supplanted by the brand new funds mannequin. One other comparability could possibly be with the Beats Flex (Beats is a subsidiary of Apple).
Should you’re eager to listen to the most recent rumours about Apple’s 2023 plans, the very best place to begin is our roundup: New Apple merchandise 2023.
These within the present vary ought to check out our roundup of the greatest AirPods offers for the most recent bargains.
