Here\u2019s everything that we know so far about the next generation of Apple earbuds, including when they could be released in the UK. <\/p>
It\u2019s looking increasingly likely that the next iPhone won\u2019t be the only product unveiled by Apple this year, with the next generation of its wireless earbuds series, the AirPods, being tipped for release alongside new smartphones.<\/p>\n
To see the impact of Apple\u2019s AirPods, you only need to take a walk down the street: everywhere you look, you\u2019ll likely see people wearing these slim, white earbuds in their ears. Sure, there\u2019s a good chance that some of these might be third-party lookalikes \u2013 but they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.<\/p>\n
Apple\u2019s first-gen AirPods were released back in 2016, followed by the AirPods 2 in 2019. As you can read in our in-depth Apple AirPods review<\/a>, though these iconic little earbuds aren\u2019t without flaws, our experts loved their comfortable fit and the highly intuitive connection that they offer \u2013 unsurprisingly \u2013 for iOS users.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why we\u2019re excited to see what developments and upgrades will be in store for what\u2019s being dubbed the AirPods 3 \u2013 although that\u2019s not an official name.<\/p>\n Despite the AirPods being absent from the Apple Spring Loaded event<\/a> in April \u2013 used to showcase a new iMac, iPad Pro, a purple iPhone 12 and the AirTags \u2013 we are now learning more about what the next-gen buds could look like upon their release.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what we know so far about the AirPods 3, which will join the existing line-up \u2013 the AirPods, AirPods Pro and the over-ear alternative called the AirPods Max.<\/p>\n We expect the new AirPods to be released in tandem with the new series of iPhone \u2013 currently known as the iPhone 13<\/a>. Apple has not yet confirmed an exact date for their release, however multiple reports have suggested the buds will be available in the second half of 2021 \u2013 and potentially as early as September.<\/p>\n A report from DigiTimes<\/a>, published on July 23rd, cited supply chain sources while claiming the new AirPods could debut at an Apple event in the second half of this year. Apple usually reveals iPhones around September, although last year the 12 series surfaced in October due to disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n Adding to the speculation was a report from Nikkei Asia<\/a>, which said new AirPods would be released in the second half of 2021 alongside iPhones and MacBooks.<\/p>\n The next-generation AirPods \u2013 which are Apple\u2019s entry level earbuds \u2013 will be the first major refresh since 2019, and speculation suggests the new set will take some aesthetic inspiration from the current AirPods Pro. Specifically, leaks containing photos of the new pair show them to have a shorter stem and a rounder body.<\/p>\n Renders purporting to show the new AirPods have been circulating online since at least March this year \u2013 but Apple is yet to reveal any official product images. Of course, internet rumours should always be taken with a degree of scepticism. It\u2019s unclear if the upcoming AirPods 3 will have silicone tips like the Pro version.<\/p>\n Based on the speculation so far, it\u2019s unlikely the AirPods 3 will incorporate the active noise cancellation (ANC) tech that defined the Airpods Pro, either.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a shame: we\u2019d love to see new AirPods sport noise-reduction tech \u2013 but it feels like a long shot, given the substantial price difference that puts the AirPods Pro in a class of their own. It seems likely Apple will continue to offer two classes of earbuds with its next releases, so the AirPods could remain a base model.<\/p>\n We suspect there\u2019ll be internal upgrades, though, in the form of a new processor. The AirPods 2 featured the H1 chip that was a marked upgrade on the W1 of the first set. That was two years ago, and Apple has had plenty of time two develop a processor which will offer even smoother performance \u2013 for iOS users at least.<\/p> Apple has not said anything about the pricing of the new AirPods \u2013 but we can get a rough idea based on their predecessors\u2019 cost. Upon their release, the AirPods 2 cost \u00a3199 with a wireless charging case and \u00a3159 with a wired charging case.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear if Apple will continue to offer the two different options, but one thing we feel confident about is that the next true wireless AirPods won\u2019t cost anywhere near that of the AirPods Pro, which boast noise-cancelling tech but come with the eyes-watering RRP of \u00a3249 (although you\u2019ll find them on offer at Amazon).<\/p>\n At the time of writing, the AirPods with wireless charging case<\/a> are \u00a3156.00, while the AirPods with a wired charging case<\/a> are priced at \u00a3124.99.<\/p>\n Way back in March, the website MacRumors<\/a> (via 52 audio) reported the AirPods 3 could cost around $150, which broadly aligns with what is now expected from the pricing. Luckily, it\u2019s looking likely we don\u2019t have too long to wait to get answers.<\/p>\n If you are currently shopping for Apple earbuds and want to know more about how they perform, our expert reviewers have previously tested them out:<\/p>\n And don\u2019t miss our in-depth tests of Apple phones, including the iPhone 12 review<\/a>, iPhone 12 Pro review<\/a>, iPhone 12 Mini review<\/a> and iPhone 12 Pro Max review<\/a>.<\/p>\n For the latest news, reviews and deals check out the RadioTimes.com Technology<\/a> section. Still unsure about what iPhone to pick up? Read our iPhone 12 vs mini vs Pro vs Pro Max<\/a> comparison guide for a full breakdown of the key differences. <\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s everything that we know so far about the next generation of Apple earbuds, including when they could be released in the UK. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":2216,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news.jpg",620,413,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news.jpg",620,413,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news.jpg",620,413,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news.jpg",620,413,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2021\/07\/apple-airpods-3-rumoured-release-date-specs-price-and-latest-news.jpg",620,413,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Here\u2019s everything that we know so far about the next generation of Apple earbuds, including when they could be released in the UK.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/2215"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}AirPods 3 rumoured release date<\/strong><\/h2>\n
AirPods 3 rumoured design and specs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
AirPods 3 price: cheaper than AirPods Pro?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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