Later this year, Apple is expected to hold one of the biggest and most exciting launch events of all time. At the anticipated September keynote, the Cupertino-based tech giant could reveal the new iPhone 16 series, with several AI-based features as part of iOS 18. However, new iPhones are not the only products that will say the day of the light during this event. Several reports have suggested that the company is working on a major AirPods revamp.
Known Analyst Suggests The Presence Of AirPods Lite In The Company’s 2024 Lineup
According to a new report by 9To5Mac, analyst Jeff Pu has corroborated the possibility of a new lower-cost “AirPods Lite” model, which could come out sometime during the second half of this year. Though Pu mentions that the overall AirPods volume will dip by four percent compared to the last year, courtesy of “muted demand for existing models,” the new entry-level model could provide some support and ramp up production.
Although Pu didn’t mention anything about the AirPods Lite that he talked about in the investor note, this is not the first time we’ve heard of a new low-cost AirPods model that could be in the making. Before this, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also reported that the company is working on a pair of entry-level AirPods that could cost $99. Similarly, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman predicted that the company would work on two new AirPods (4th Generation) models later this year.
While the regular version will be the more affordable, it won’t come with premium features like noise cancelation and transparency mode, which will most likely be reserved for the high-cost AirPods variant. Now, although these three sources are talking about the affordable AirPods version that will come out later this year, it is still not clear whether they are talking about the same model as each other or a different product altogether.
Another Source Provides More Comprehensive Information
Let’s expand on the two AirPods models predicted by Mark Gurman since those are the ones about which the most information is available. Gurman suggests that the company may release two new AirPods models, “B768 (E) and B768 (M).” While the first could be the more affordable, entry-level version that takes after the current AirPods (2nd Generation), the second could be the mid-tier AirPods that takes after the AirPods (3rd Generation). Both are said to feature a new design that will focus on comfort. Further, both AirPods models should feature a USB-C port instead of the outdated Lighting Port.
The mid-tier AirPods could include features like active noise cancelation, Find My speakers, and perhaps a hearing aid and hearing test mode for those with hearing impairments. More information about the purported AirPods should surface online shortly.
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