Apple could be prepping new features not only for its regular AirPods earbuds but also the $249 AirPods Pro and the outdated AirPods Max headphones.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has learned that Apple plans to revamp the entire AirPods lineup over the next two years on terms of both the looks and the features.
According to his sources, the iPhone maker allegedly plans on replacing both the second and third-generation AirPods in 2024 with a fourth-generation model that’ll come in low-end and high-end versions.
Regular AirPods could get low-end and high-end versions
Apple currently sells two versions of standard AirPods, the $129 second-generation model and the $169 third-generation model.
For an extra $40, the third-generation AirPods offer additional capabilities such as adaptive EQ, personalized spatial audio, sweat and water resistance, force sensors in the stem and an additional hour of listening time.
The third-generation AirPods haven’t sold particularly well for Apple. Many buyers either opt to save money and purchase the second-generation version or they spring for the high-end model, which comes with noise cancellation. The mid-tier product doesn’t offer much more than the $129 model, so some consumers don’t see a reason to pay the extra $40.
But “later next year,” both second and third-generation AirPods will be pulled from sale as two new fourth-generation models come out. Aside from a new design described as “a blend of the third-generation AirPods and the Pro model,” these earbuds will have short stems and offer an improved fit (but no replaceable tips).
To increase the differentiation between them, the high-end version will get noise cancellation, a first for the regular AirPods, along with a refreshed charging case with USB-C charging and built-in speakers for Find My alerts like the current AirPods Pro.
Refreshed AirPods Max in 2024
Apple will also refresh the AirPods Max, its $549 over-ear headphones. These pricey headphones haven’t been refreshed since debuting in December 2020.
They’re stuck with Apple’s outdated headphone chip, which is why the AirPods Max don’t support the best audio features in iOS 17. But that’ll change in 2024, according to Gurman, when Apple plans to release a pair of refreshed AirPods Max.
The report is thin on details about the next AirPods Max. There will be a USB-C port for charging instead of Lightning, plus some new colors (and certainly a new chip). “No other notable features are expected at this time,” the report adds.
The AirPods Pro will be updated in 2025
As for the $249 AirPods Pro, these earbuds won’t receive any new features before 2025. Gurman claims that the next AirPods Pro will have better audio quality, refreshed design and a faster chip.
Gurman reminds us that prior rumors claimed future AirPods Pro would double as a hearing aid replacement, but the author had nothing to add to these reports.