Apple’s AirPods are getting a new member of the family.
This is according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who claims that Apple plans to launch two new versions of AirPods this year, neither of them “Pro.”
In the latest of his newsletters, Gurman said that Apple is preparing for the “biggest AirPods launch to date,” with the company planning to produce a record-breaking 20 to 25 million earbuds, with production starting in May and general availability starting in September or October.
Apple is launching two models this year, the report claims. One, codenamed B768(E), is an entry-level model, with the other is codenamed B768(M), with the “M” standing for “mid-tier.” Both will be redesigned compared to the current AirPods, with a better fit, and charging cases equipped with a USB-C port. The mid-tier variant will also have active noise cancellation, as well as Find My speakers in the case, which should make it easier to find if you misplace it.
These are just regular AirPods, not the AirPods Pro. Apple currently sells only one new variant of the AirPods for $179, though the company does also sell the previous generation of the AirPods for $129. Unfortunately, there’s no word on the price for the upcoming model.
As for the AirPods Pro, a new variant is coming “as soon as next year,” the report says. Gurman also reiterated his previous report that the new AirPods Pro will get a hearing aid feature.
Finally, Gurman says an AirPods model that comes out “a few years from now” could come with low-resolution cameras that can scan the environment around the user, with the data then processed via AI to help you out with daily activities.
