Apple’s AirPods 3 are now in production, rumors say
- Taiwanese supplier ASE Technology has started production of optical sensors that will be embedded in the next generation Apple AirPods, according to DigiTimes.
- Ming-Chi Kuo has previously hinted that we may see them in the third quarter of 2021.
- AirPods 3 are expected to launch at $199, according to a report from The Elec.
According to new reports from DigiTimes, Apple has already started production of their upcoming AirPods 3 wireless earbuds in partnership with a Taiwanese manufacturer called ASE Technology. Rumors say the company has already started making optical sensors for the next-generation of earbuds. Allegedly, these new AirPods may feature a shorter stem, no replaceable ear-tips, and a smaller charging case — a design which is said to be inspired by the current AirPods Pro.
There have been plenty of rumors of exactly when we can expect to see the new AirPods, with recent suggestions from the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (reliability: 80.95%) hinting that we may see them in the third quarter of 2021. More specifically, that would be from July 1 to September 30. The new report from DigiTimes lines up with these earlier reports from Kuo, giving the reports more weight.
From Tom's Guide:
The DigiTimes report, spotted by MacRumors doesn't provide a specific launch date. But there is a launch window, according to sources cited in the report, that places the AirPods 3 launch sometime in the third quarter of 2021, which would square with a September launch event for the iPhone 13.
As for pricing, Korean publication The Elec has recently stated that fans may have to pay a premium for the upgrade. Apple’s new AirPods 3 are expected to launch at $199, a noticeable increase from the previous price of $159 for AirPods 2.
The first generation of AirPods launched back in 2016 — with a second generation released in March of 2019. Since then, AirPods have become one of the most popular products for the company — with the second generation featuring an H1 chip, longer talk time, ‘Hey Siri’ integration and more.
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