Apple may unveil two new AirPods with iPhone 16 next month

In the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that Apple is poised to soon unveil two versions of the fourth-generation AirPods wireless earbuds. This announcement could coincide with Apple’s rumored September 10th event, where the company is expected to introduce the iPhone 16 series, the Apple Watch Series 10, the Apple Watch SE 3, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Gurman indicates that the fourth-generation AirPods will come in two variants: a budget-friendly model with basic features and a more expensive version equipped with active noise cancellation (ANC). The cheaper model is anticipated to replace the second-generation AirPods, which debuted in 2019 and are currently priced at $129 on Apple’s online store.

The pricier model with ANC is set to replace the third-generation AirPods, released in 2021 and sold for $179. Both variants will share the same design, according to Gurman, who also notes that the third-generation AirPods Pro will be released at a later date. If Gurman’s predictions are accurate, the premium fourth-generation AirPods will be the first non-Pro earbuds to offer ANC. At present, consumers looking for AirPods with ANC must purchase the second-generation AirPods Pro, which is priced at $249.

Apple’s revision of the AirPods lineup will enable the tech giant to update the charging cases to include USB-C ports, replacing the current Lightning ports. This change will align the AirPods charging cases with the iPhone 15 series and select iPad models. Given Apple’s clear shift towards USB-C ports across its devices, this is a timely and appropriate move.

Apple is likely planning to permanently discontinue the second-generation AirPods while keeping the third-generation model available at a significantly lower price.

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According to the analytical firm Canalys, the AirPods maintained their leadership in the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) market during the first quarter of this year, holding a 24% market share. This gave Apple a substantial lead of 16 percentage points over Samsung and Xiaomi, both of which held an 8% share.

In Apple’s fiscal third quarter, which concluded in June, the Wearables, Home, and Accessories division, including the AirPods, experienced a 2.2% revenue decrease, bringing in $8.1 billion.