Apple to begin mass production of AirPods 3 in August, report claims
Apple is said to be earmarking August as the month it will begin mass production of its next-generation AirPods, according to a report from Nikkei Asia, which claims the earbuds will launch before the end of the year alongside the iPhone 13 and new MacBook models.
Speculation on when Apple may release an updated version of its AirPods has been growing over the past several months when leaks claimed to offer a look at the earbuds and their new AirPods Pro-style redesign, which is expected to see Apple adopt an overall smaller shape and shrunken stem.
Reports have claimed that the new AirPods will feature the same Apple H1 chip and 5 hours of playback as the current-generation model. Despite the expected similar appearance to the AirPods Pro, the new third-generation AirPods are expected to lack interchangeable ear tips and Active Noise Cancellation.
Rumors have also suggested that Apple is working on new second-generation AirPods Pro, but these aren’t expected until next year, when the earbuds will gain “innovative AirPods experience[s],” which could hint at earlier rumors of the earbuds introducing new health-monitoring features, such as a small accelerometer that could potentially determine body movement or something that could help a user monitor fitness while wearing their AirPods.