In preparation for Apple’s much-hyped iPhone 16 event It’s Glowtime, which takes place this Monday, September 9 (starting at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST… that’s 3am September 10 AEST), Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has provided his clearest confirmation yet that two new sets of AirPods are coming – and two that almost certainly aren’t.
Gurman has shared his biggest and most detailed AirPods predictions yet in his latest Bloomberg newsahead of the upcoming Apple event next week. Is this concrete evidence of AirPods coming? No, but it’s pretty convincing that you trust the noted Apple expert – and most people do when it comes to iOS products.
So what precisely has the tech analyst announced? Here’s a summary of what Gurman predicted (there’s a lot to get through)…
Two new AirPods: the big predictions
- Apple is preparing two new AirPods models, according to Gurman, which are intended to replace the entry-level second-generation AirPods (2019) and the mid-range third-generation model (also known as AirPods 3).
- Both new versions resemble the AirPods Pro (it’s unclear whether Gurman means the original Pros from 2019 or the AirPods Pro 2) and feature a new case, USB-C charging and “improved audio quality.”
- Apple is reportedly going to differentiate the two new AirPods models by giving the mid-range version a more premium case with a speaker, making it easier to find using Apple’s Find My feature, and noise cancellation “to match the AirPods Pro.”
- A major new focus for AirPods, Gurman says, is a “bigger push toward hearing health.” Apple has reportedly been trying to make AirPods a viable replacement for hearing aids, as well as a device that can perform hearing tests. The Cupertino giant is preparing to announce these updates – codenamed Yodel – but Gurman adds that “they’ve been delayed and may not be available until later.”
- A new version of the AirPods Pro “is still in the works,” according to the expert, with an updated design and improved ANC. But we won’t be seeing them on Monday. Why? Gurman tells us that what sounds to us like the AirPods Pro 3 are “expected as early as next year.” (Boo!)
- Finally, Apple is said to be working on updated AirPods Max headphones that will come in new colors and switch the Lightning connector to USB-C to comply with the latest EU laws. But with plenty of current AirPods Max stock in stock, Gurman thinks the AirPods Max 2 will also “come later” – i.e. not on Monday…
Anything else? Actually yes…
Interestingly, the Apple tipster also reports that a few weeks ago, Apple discovered “a bug in upcoming AirPods that caused the earbuds to rapidly lose battery life.” The issue was apparently attributed to software and was fixed before factories started shipping out the units.
Regular readers may also remember that we told you about the AirPods Pro 2 getting an update to gesture support for calls/controls ahead of the full launch of iOS 18. The smart bets say we should get a launch date for that feature on Monday.
Look, this shouldn’t surprise us: Apple’s biggest AirPods launch yet was predicted earlier this year, and it was rumored to be happening in a double AirPods launch.
Yes, it’s a shame that we likely won’t see an AirPods Pro 3 or AirPods Max 2 on Monday, but come on, it’s been over two years since the Apple AirPods 3, the latest earbuds from Tim Cook’s behemoth (we’re not counting the addition of a USB-C charging port in September 2023, right?), and we’d much rather have two pairs of icy white earbuds than none at all, thank you very much.
Pricing? Gurman didn’t specify, but given that the AirPods 3 currently retail for around $179 / £169 / AU$279, somewhere around that seems appropriate for the mid-range option.
The entry-level set? It’s impossible to say for sure, but wouldn’t a price of $99 / £99 / AU$149 – something to rival the hugely popular Nothing Ear (a), for example – be refreshing?