Apple should launch two fourth-generation AirPods models and refresh its pricey AirPods Max over-ear headphones later this year.
Mark Gurman claims in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg that the iPhone maker will stop selling the second and third-generation AirPods after the fourth-generation models have been released (suggesting similar pricing).
Moreover, the company will deliver a pair of refreshed AirPods Max over-ear headphones with a tweaked design and an “updated chip.” The new AirPods Max and two new AirPods models should arrive in late 2024, suggesting a possible announcement at Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 event in September.
What’s in store for the fourth-generation AirPods?
Gurman reported in October 2023 that Apple would release not one but two fourth-generation AirPods models. One should serve the high-end market, and the other would skip some features to bring the price down.
This should help clear up the confusion where Apple currently offers two versions of standard AirPods: the $129 second-generation model, released in March 2019, and the $169 third-generation model, released in October 2021.
Gurman claims that the entry-level AirPods 4 will feature an updated design to provide enhanced fit, in addition to improved sound quality and a refreshed charging case with USB-C charging instead of Lightning.
High-end AirPods 4 getting premium features
As for the high-end version of the fourth-generation AirPods, Gurman is expecting a few improvements, inducing active noise cancellation and a charging case with a built-in speaker for easier Find My location tracking.
AirPods Max getting a new design
AirPods Max, Apple’s premium $549 over-ear headphones released in December 2020, are ripe for a refresh but don’t hold your breath for a lot of changes. Gurman claims the next AirPods Max will have a refreshed design and an “updated chip.”
Will the next AirPods Max use Apple’s H3 chip?
All AirPods models released to date are powered by Apple’s custom headphone chip, dubbed the H1, except the AirPods Pro which use its successor, the H2. In fact, the second-generation AirPods Pro run an updated H2 chip that uses both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Bluetooth bands, enabling it to support lossless audio streaming in conjunction with the Apple Vision Pro headset.
We’re betting that the two new AirPods models and the next AirPods Max will be equipped with the enhanced H2 chip from the second-generation AirPods Pro.
The H1 is definitely on its way out because it doesn’t support the latest features in iOS 17. Right now, it’s a crazy situation as features like Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and Personalized Volume only work on AirPods Pro because the other AirPods models are stuck with the outdated H1 chip.