The last time we saw an update to the regular AirPods was back in 2021 but Apple is reportedly preparing to refresh the earbuds this year with two new models. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the tech giant will allegedly come out with entry-level and mid-range AirPods by September or October.
Apparently, the new 4th-gen models will be replacing the 2nd-gen and 3rg-gen AirPods, codenamed B768(E) and B768(M), with the E representing “entry” and the M standing for “mid-tier.” Gurman claims that both of them will sport new designs, an improved fit, and USB-C charging cases. Additionally, the mid-range variant will be fitted with active noise cancellation and speakers for Find My, meaning that it will get a lot of the features that differentiate the Pro models from the vanilla AirPods.
The report states that the Cupertino firm is set to start production of the new models in May with a release date around the same time as this year’s iPhone launch. As for the Pro, the company is expected to announce a new version of the higher-end earbuds in 2025, while a revamp of the AirPods max is also expected this year.
On the software side, Apple is rumoured to introduce a hearing aid mode to the Pro with iOS 18. It is also working on a hearing test feature for the earbuds, upgrading them to a health gadget.
(Source: Bloomberg)
