Apple’s AirPods headphones – which dropped with out an enormous quantity of curiosity in 2016 – hit some form of inflection level spherical about 2018, and all of the sudden turned the recent factor. (One member of the Macworld crew places this all the way down to a wave of memes the remainder of us are too previous 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 truffles. 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’ll take a look at all of the completely different AirPods, evaluating when Apple would possibly subsequent replace them and the brand new options that might arrive with the subsequent era. We’ll additionally focus on 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
Primarily based on the above it will be logical to conclude that AirPods Max are subsequent on the listing. Now greater than two years previous the AirPods Max can not play Apple’s lossless audio, which is an omission that must be rectified. The know-how to realize this will likely not but be accessible although.
As an alternative of updating the AirPods Max in 2023 Apple might 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 worth of $99)”.
Earlier in January 2023 analyst Jeff Pu additionally referenced Apple plans to introduce the AirPods Lite, a less expensive model of the usual AirPods, with a worth 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 current line up.
Nonetheless, Kuo had instructed we’d have to attend till 2024 for this new AirPods class.
Hopefully the wait for brand 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 might be a brand new pair of AirPods Max as there a code for a case was additionally recognized within the iOS replace which might be a code for a brand new Good 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 price range set of AirPods. Nonetheless he instructed that they might 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 occurring 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 will probably be three years previous and due an replace.
In Could 2022 Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in a e-newsletter that new AirPods Max might be imminent. He wrote: “Look out for an AirPods Max refresh with new colours (and, we hope, a worth 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 might 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 might be ready till 2024 for an replace to the AirPods, though there might be a fair longer wait if Kuo is right and the brand new Max and Lite fashions gained’t launch till 2024 or 2025.
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 might be ready till 2025 for an replace to the AirPods Professional, however the wait might be even longer.
How a lot will new AirPods price?
The AirPods and AirPods Professional are unlikely to see a worth change, though the costs exterior the U.S. could also be adjusted in some unspecified time in the future, 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 may even see a worth lower, based mostly 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 worth 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’s going to cease promoting the older AirPods as a price range providing. Apple’s want to supply AirPods at this worth level would permit it to compete on the decrease finish of the market. They might successfully be the SE providing for the AirPods, just like Apple’s Apple Watch SE and iPhone SE.
Now we have a spherical up of the Finest wi-fi earbuds for iPhone and the very best wired headphones for those who’d like to think about options to AirPods.
New AirPods specs and options
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.
AirPods Max
The AirPods Max, regardless of their excessive worth, aren’t at the moment able to enjoying Apple’s hi-res lossless audio. An replace in 2023 did carry 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 revel 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 carry 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 have been coming in 2020.
AirPods Professional Lite can be a contradictory-sounding mixture of luxurious and worth. It appears extra possible that the AirPods Professional Lite referred to by that report have been the AirPods 3, which arrived on the finish of 2021.
If, as rumored, these new AirPods are priced round $99 then they’re prone to have price range options. For an thought of what to anticipate we might look to the 2nd-gen AirPods, that are nonetheless on sale however prone to be supplanted by the brand new price range mannequin. One other comparability might be with the Beats Flex (Beats is a subsidiary of Apple).
In the event 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 very best AirPods offers for the most recent bargains.
