AirPods 3: What you need on Apple's next true wireless earbuds

Recent speculation has suggested an updated Airpods 3 model is incoming, but when will they launch? 

You can never quite guess with Apple when it comes to release dates. The announcement of the AirPods (2019) took everyone by surprise. But online rumour mongers seem more confident this time around, with many implying there’ll be an announcement at next week’s WWDC event.

Other analysts seem less certain they’re real, believing a third-generation model will go into mass production in 2021.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate, or list what we’d like to see from the next AirPods. Here’s what you need to know about the AirPods 3.

Related: What we know about the Apple AirPod Pro 2

When will the AirPods 3 be released?

YouTuber John Prosser tweeted the 3rd-gen model were meant to be shown at the cancelled March event. Despite no word since then, he’s still circulating the idea that the AirPods 3 are going to launch sooner rather than later.

New AirPods (which were supposed to be at the March Event) are now ready to go.

Probably alongside the MacBook Pro next month.

— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) April 19, 2020

However, the very reliable Ming-Chi Kuo poured cold water on this notion. He indicated in a report that the new AirPods 3 model will go into mass production in 2021, and aren’t ready to go on sale this year.

Heads up: There’s still an iMac and AirPods ready to ship. (Not sure which AirPods yet, only know codename)

Theoretically, since they’re ready, they could drop at any time.

I’ll let you know if/when I hear a date.

Let’s see if Apple can keep it a secret from me

— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) May 6, 2020

Again, Jon Prosser reiterated that the new AirPods ready to go and expected to launch alongside the new iMac Pro. He provided little else in terms of info, other than he knows the codename.

Perhaps Prosser is right, and the AirPods 3 are ready now. Why hasn’t Apple released them yet? It’s not as if other headphones makers haven’t released products during the Covid-19 lockdown. If Kuo is right, and he often is, then we won’t be seeing any new true wireless model until next year.

In any case we don’t have to wait long. WWDC starts on June 22nd and we’ll find out either way.

Related: Best wireless earbuds

How much will the AirPods 3 cost?

The 2nd-gen AirPods (with wireless case) were £199/$199, so we’d expect the AirPods 3 to incur a similar price, with the 2nd gen AirPods dropping in price to make way.

With the AirPods Pro priced at £249 price point, it’d make sense if any new true wireless model sat at the £200 price mark or less. Any higher and it’d be intruding on the premium price of the Pro version.

Related: Best headphone deals

AirPods 3 design

The AirPods’ design has proved popular. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the AirPods 3’ shape will remain the same, but it will get a new internal chip.

What benefits the internal chip will provide Kuo did not speculate on, but we’d like to see battery life improved to match competing sets

We’d also like to have the choice of different finishes. A white finish is prone to picking up dirt and we don’t want to be constantly wiping down. Considering Apple’s history of special finishes, it’s a surprise the AirPods have just come in plain white so far.

Related: AirPods Studio − everything we know

AirPods 3 features

Could we see biometric sensing? These rumoured internal tweaks to the design could see a push in this direction, but this is merely speculation.

There have been rumours that Apple has looked at integrating a speaker connection into future AirPods’ charging cases. A patent from 2017 details a charging case for a wireless listening device such as “a pair of wireless earbuds”. It’s configured to “transmit the media to a non-wireless output device connected to the case.”

From the illustration included with the patent (below), it looks like a speaker dock, with the AirPods slotting on top.

Apple’s patent illustration, as filed with USPTO

The case detailed could allow for music to be streamed wirelessly to the AirPods, using the H1 chip, and then transmitted to a speaker.

This is an old patent and if Apple were to delve further down this route, we imagine they’d be more concrete news about it. Nevertheless, it serves up an interesting path as to where future AirPods, like the AirPods 3, could go.

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