The next iPhone— iPhone 16— is tipped to take a backseat as Apple is planning to give its wearables like the AirPods a seemingly “big” makeover in 2024. When we say AirPods, we mean the entry-level option, the follow-up to the existing third-generation model.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is reporting that Apple is prepping two fourth-generation AirPods with clear cut differentiation to cater to a wider audience and thus, boost sales (think an AirPods lite and “pro” lite). The report highlights a big chink in the current-generation model, that they have a design and a few feature set identical to the top-tier AirPods Pro, but with pricing that makes them a bit harder to justify over the second-generation AirPods.
Anyhow, the gen 4 AirPods are said to get updated designs with redesigned cases with USB Type-C charging. The high-end variant seems in line to get active noise cancellation, something which is curiously missing in the current version.
The report goes on to reveal some juicy titbits on the next version of the AirPods Max, too, though don’t expect any new hardware or software features because apparently they don’t sell enough for Apple to invest in a full-fledged upgrade, just yet. And so, you might see Apple switch to USB Type-C for charging and a perhaps new colours, for their mid-cycle refresh.
The next AirPods Pro, meanwhile, don’t appear to be up for an upgrade before 2025. Gurman notes that their design hasn’t been finalised yet though you can expect Apple to focus on comfort with the next model.
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