Apple is planning to make changes to its AirPods lineup in the coming years. The company wants to make it easier for customers to choose the right AirPods by making the differences between models clearer. According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power on newsletter, to achieve this simplicity of lineup, Apple will likely stop selling the second-generation and third-generation AirPods when they introduce a new model in 2024. Gurman says that the third gen AirPods did not make a good sale as many buyers opted for the older and cheaper model.
To avoid this, the company plans to drop older AirPods once the new ones go official and could launch two versions of the fourth-generation AirPods in 2024. Both will be priced similarly to the current models, but they will have distinct features. Gurman writes that both AirPods will have a design inspired from the third-generation AirPods and the more advanced AirPods Pro, with shorter stems.
The higher-end version will have active noise cancellation and improved Find My support, similar to the AirPods Pro. However, both versions are unlikely to have customisable ear tips, which means they may not provide the same level of noise cancellation and sound quality as the AirPods Pro.
Apple for the first time introduced iPhones with USB-C this year. This trend could continue with the next-gen AirPods. Reportedly, the new AirPods will come with USB-C instead of the older charging port. Apple may also update the AirPods Max, adding a USB-C port and new colours, but not many other changes.
While the standard AirPods and AirPods Max will receive the update in 2024, the AirPods Pro will be updated in 2025. The latter could receive a faster chip, improved design and incorporation of much-talked about ear-health features.
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