If you are a fan of personal audio products made by Apple, and were looking forward to an AirPods-related announcement anytime soon, you may be a bit disappointed. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo shared on X, previously Twitter, his own prediction of what sort of announcements the fruit company has in schedule. And it looks like there’s nothing on the docket for the year.
According to the analyst, the whole line of “AirPods may not see significant updates until 2026”, which Kuo ties to a prior prediction of IR-equipped AirPods that will enter mass production in said year. Though this specific claim somewhat contradicts other reports made at the time which noted that an AirPods entry may be getting cameras, and are slated for debut in 2027 instead.
Going further, Kuo claims that the Apple AirPods Max won’t be getting a proper refresh until 2027. But when it does, it will be a lighter model, but it’s unclear what other aspects of its design will change alongside the weight reduction.
Beyond cameras – IR or otherwise – Apple has been testing adding heart rate monitors to its AirPods as well. Though on that front, we haven’t heard much in substantial developments, and if Kuo’s prediction is accurate, those won’t be out anytime soon either.
(Source: Ming-Chi Kuo / X)
