CAD renders of Apple’s upcoming AirPods 3 earbuds have popped up online, hinting at changes like a shorter stem and an in-ear design more akin to the AirPods Pro than the regular earbuds.
STOY HIGHLIGHTS:
- AirPods 3 are getting a “pro” design.
- A shorter stem like the AirPods Pro, too.
- Also, replaceable silicone ear tips.
- A smaller charge case as well.
- But no noise cancellation for these earbuds.
Adopting an AirPods Pro-like design
Shared by GizmoChina, the renders indicate the next AirPods may borrow a few design clues from the noise-canceling AirPods Pro. We can see that a stem will be much shorter and the earphones themselves look to be styled a lot like the AirPods Pro. Aside from a shorter stem, the AirPods 3 appear to feature silicone ear tips. The story says that the AirPods 3 will come with replaceable ear tips, something we’ve heard before and seen with the AirPods Pro.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, both reliable sources, have predicted that the next regular AirPods would adopt an AirPods Pro-like design. At the same time, the next AirPods Pro should lose their stem completely and become even smaller.
The same design changes for the AirPods 3 were recently shown in leaked photographs.
Nice pic.twitter.com/2PJdCd2hEn
— LeaksApplePro (@LeaksApplePro) March 10, 2021
According to the GizmoChina story, the design showcased in the renders is “likely the final version which will be released in the market for everyone to purchase.” The next AirPods won’t be borrowing all the features of the AirPods Pro though—more advanced capabilities such as active noise cancellation should remain reserved for the AirPods Pro.
It’s unclear when the AirPods 3 could drop, but Apple is rumored to be holding a prerecorded presentation of several new products later in March, so there’s that.
Image credit: GizmoChina