The 'AirPods 3' Resembling AirPods Pro Will Be Released Next Year

Mingchi Kuo "In-ear Type 3rd Generation AirPods to Launch in Early 2021"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jinju Han] Apple will release the 'AirPods 3' next year, resembling the AirPods Pro.

On the 22nd (local time), Ming-Chi Kuo, an Apple specialist analyst at TF Securities, stated, "The 3rd generation AirPods with a form factor similar to the AirPods Pro will be released in the first half of 2021," adding, "Apple will continue to sell the 2nd generation AirPods through the year-end holiday season."

The 3rd generation AirPods are expected to feature an in-ear design with a shorter stem hanging below the ear, similar to the AirPods Pro. However, it is too early to conclude that Apple will switch the entire AirPods lineup to an in-ear style.

The 2nd generation AirPods (priced at $199) were released in March 2019. They have the same design as the 1st generation AirPods but include the AI voice assistant "Siri" and support wireless charging. In October of the same year, Apple launched the in-ear style AirPods Pro with water resistance and active noise cancellation features, priced at $249.

There is also analysis that Apple's decision to exclude the wired EarPods, which were bundled with the iPhone 12 released at the end of this year, will contribute to increased AirPods sales. Ming-Chi Kuo said, "Due to the impact of COVID-19, AirPods sales slowed somewhat in the second quarter, but sales performance is expected to be positive through the end of the year," adding, "Apple is likely to launch an AirPods promotion program in the second half of 2020 to offer benefits."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.