The third-generation Apple AirPods could arrive by later this year as at least seven suppliers have begun circuit-board related shipments for future Apple products that include the next-gen AirPods, claims a report by DigiTimes, based upon input from industry sources.
“Suppliers including Semco, LG Innotek, Kinsus, Unimicron, Nan Ya, Zhen Ding and AT&S have all kicked off their BT substrate shipments for Apple’s next-generation products”, claims the report. The next-generation Apple products, as mentioned in the report, include the Apple Watch, the iPhone and the AirPods.
A similar claim regarding the launch of the new AirPods was made by tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who had claimed that Apple will delay the production of the new AirPods till Q3 2021,
The new AirPods, which could be named the AirPods 3, are expected to be similar in build to the AirPods Pro, with a small stem and replaceable ear tips, It also rumoured that the next-generation AirPods will feature Active Noise Cancellation, something new for the base variants in the AirPods lineup. The 2019 AirPods’ passive noise cancellation has worked well in filtering the ambient noise, so if the new ones come with ANC, you could expect the pricing to shoot up too.
Kuo also predicted that Apple may see a decline in headphone shipments this year due to the rise in competition in the category. He added that the tech giant may also plan not to shelve selling the second-gen AirPods when the new AirPods arrive.
