New AirPods Expected to Launch in Third Quarter as Production Gets Underway

Taiwanese supplier ASE Technology has started production of optical sensors for next-generation AirPods slated to launch in the third quarter of 2021, according to industry sources cited in a paywalled DigiTimes story preview today.

airpods 3 1
The full report has yet to be published, so there are no further details at this time, but the timeframe lines up with information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier this month claimed that third-generation AirPods will enter mass production in the third quarter of the year. The quarter runs from July through September.

Kuo previously said the third-generation AirPods would be released in the first half of 2021, and a series of leaked photos and renders certainly made it seem like a launch was imminent, but this no longer appears to be the case.

The third-generation AirPods are expected to have a similar design as the AirPods Pro, including shorter stems, but without silicone ear tips or active noise cancellation, allowing for a lower price. The second-generation AirPods retail for $159 with a wired charging case or for $199 with a wireless charging case, while the AirPods Pro run $249.

Apple released the second-generation AirPods in March 2019, followed by the AirPods Pro in October 2019.

Update: The full report has been published.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

Apple Glasses Purple Feature

Apple Smart Glasses Launching in 2026

Thursday May 22, 2025 12:22 pm PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a set of smart glasses by the end of 2026, reports Bloomberg. The glasses will be comparable to the Meta Ray-Bans and the Android XR glasses that Google showed off earlier this week. Apple's smart glasses are expected to include cameras, microphones, and AI capabilities, much like the Meta Ray-Bans. The glasses will be able to take photos, record video, provide...
Apple Glass

Apple Smart Glasses: Everything We Know So Far

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:21 am PDT by
Google recently made waves by showcasing a set of lightweight smart glasses featuring deep Gemini integration and an optional in-lens display. The demo has reignited interest in Apple's own smart glasses project, which has been the subject of rumors for nearly a decade. Here's a recap of where things stand. Current Development Status Apple is actively working on new chips specifically...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Raises iPhone Trade-In Values For Limited Time — Here's the List

Friday May 23, 2025 6:48 am PDT by
Apple has temporarily increased its iPhone trade-in values in select countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K., and China. Apple says the extra credit towards a new iPhone is available through June 18. In the U.S., the maximum estimated trade-in values increased by only $5 to $30, with the full changes in that country outlined below. ...
iPod shuffle generations

Kuo: Jony Ive's Futuristic OpenAI Device Like a Neck-Worn iPod Shuffle

Thursday May 22, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The big news in the technology world this week is that ChatGPT maker OpenAI is working more closely with Apple's former design chief Jony Ive on a futuristic AI device. The company is remaining tight lipped about the device, but Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some alleged details about its design. In a social media post today, Kuo said the device will be "slightly larger" ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Thursday May 22, 2025 4:06 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
CarPlay Ultra Aston Martin

CarPlay Ultra Solves One of Regular CarPlay's Biggest Limitations

Thursday May 22, 2025 9:16 am PDT by
The next generation of CarPlay is finally starting to roll out, and it includes a new feature that solves one of regular CarPlay's longstanding limitations. Apple last week announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, and it offers a Radio app, allowing you to control AM and FM radio stations within CarPlay. With regular CarPlay, you must switch between CarPlay and your vehicle's built-in software ...

Top Rated Comments

FightTheFuture Avatar
54 months ago

There is not going to be AirPods 3. I may be wrong but I also may be right.
I bet the AirPods 2 outsell the AirPods Pro 4:1. Regular AirPods aren’t going anywhere.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
54 months ago
Guess I have to fix my girlfriend's gen 1 then. was hoping to get these for her instead.

her left airpod stops working after a couple of minutes all the time.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jetjaguar Avatar
54 months ago
The original AirPods fit in my ear perfect. Could never get the AirPods Pro to though.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SirAnthonyHopkins Avatar
54 months ago

They would discontinue them because one, they are really old and 2, they don't have as many features like AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. And if Apple is going to keep upgrading them, they probably are going to take away the Classic AirPods.
The lack of features is precisely the point. This is the entry level and best-selling model by a mile. It's like saying Apple will discontinue the MacBook Air because it doesn't have as many features as the Pro.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WiseAJ Avatar
54 months ago
I'll believe it when they are released, same with the Air Tags
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cookie18 Avatar
54 months ago
I like the look of those. The original ones are iconic at this point though so it’ll be sad to see them go.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)