AirPods 3 Ready to Launch and Likely to Be Announced at Apple Event Next Week, Analyst Says

Apple is hosting a virtual event on Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with rumors widely suggesting the event will be focused on redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with a faster version of the M1 chip, brighter mini-LED displays, and more.

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In an investor note with Wedbush today, shared with MacRumors, analyst Dan Ives said third-generation AirPods will likely be announced at the event as well. The new AirPods are rumored to feature a similar design as the AirPods Pro, but without Active Noise Cancellation, and they could have improved sound quality and some other new features.

The third-generation AirPods have already been manufactured and are ready to launch, according to Wedbush's supply chain checks, which increases the likelihood that they will be announced during the Apple Event next week.

Earlier this week, an account on Chinese social media platform Weibo known as @PandaIsBald also claimed that third-generation AirPods will be announced at the Apple Event next week. Last month, the same account accurately revealed that Apple would announce the ninth-generation iPad at its September event.

This would be the first update to the standard AirPods since the second-generation AirPods were released in March 2019. The second-generation AirPods are priced at $159 with a wired charging case and at $199 with a wireless charging case.

An update to the AirPods Pro is not expected until next year.

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

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Top Rated Comments

UltimateSyn Avatar
49 months ago
Are these the same analysts who said MacBook Pros were coming at WWDC?

Edit: Yes. https://www.macrumors.com/2021/06/03/new-macbook-pros-at-wwdc-wedbush-analyst/
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApplesAreSweet&Sour Avatar
49 months ago
Fingers crossed these will have Find My integration that is actually usable.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
49 months ago
I hope they didn’t ruin the fit and feel from gen 1/2

I also hope they don’t decide these should now be $199 to start, while leaving gen 2 there at $159...

...which now that I say it out loud..
..feels EXACTLY like what bean counter Tim will do

:mad:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Caliber26 Avatar
49 months ago
I hope this redesign doesn’t result in the new AirPods being uncomfortable to use, or the kind that have a hard time staying in the ear. The original design is already so well established, they should’ve kept it and just shortened the stem.

Fingers crossed.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
49 months ago
I hope so. I’ve been holding off on buying AirPods for a few months now because of the rumored update.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Raaasmus Avatar
49 months ago
I liked the native integration but I will most likely never buy those consumables again :(

One of my AirPods 1 only plays for a minute before shutting off and wanting me to put it back into the case. Yes, I have tried all of the techniques I found on the web and it has the latest firmware. The battery is not replaceable and for someone in my corner of Europe there is also no swap service. Paying almost full price for replacement pods is also not something I would consider. It becomes a service of AirPods for 4 years for 200€+ at that point.

This time instead of AirPods Pro for 249€ I opted for Sony WH-1000XM4 for 300€ that can be used as wired headphones if the battery no longer holds a charge. I know, AirPods are earphones and the WH-1000XM4 are headphones but the price range is the same.

My first iPhone, the 3GS, still turns on and works after all these years.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)