AirPods over-ear model could be released in May; AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 3 delayed to 2021?

Apple fans could be getting a new model of AirPods much earlier than they anticipated. However, there are also reports that the third-generation of the earphones and the next version of AirPods Pro might not be released until 2021 or even 2022.

AirPods over-ear now ‘ready’ for release, known leaker claims

The AirPods has become one of the more popular product lineups for Apple in recent years, especially after the release of the AirPods Pro. The company even faced shortages in supplies in the middle of the holiday 2019, even before the coronavirus crisis devastated its supply chain.

Absurdly, however, Apple’s plans for the AirPods family are still not very familiar to the public, unlike how people know when to expect a new iPhone. The newness of the truly wireless earbuds could be a factor, but fans are not entirely clueless.

Earlier this week, Front Page Tech’s Jon Prosser reported that the new AirPods are “ready to go.” He did not specify what model of AirPods, but mentioned that it is the same one that was supposed to be announced at Apple’s canceled March product launch event.

Prosser now suggests the new AirPods could be released with the next MacBook Pro refresh by May. Anyone who has been following Apple news knows that Prosser’s insider reports have been spot on, so it would not hurt to keep an eye out for a new AirPods next month.

https://twitter.com/jon_prosser/status/1231213249586171904

Looking back to his earlier tweets, he did mention an over-ear AirPods that could have been announced in the said March event. The product purportedly appeared in Target’s UPC scanners and inventory systems labeled as “Apple AirPods (X Generation)” priced at $399. Since it appeared in February and already seemed like ready to be sold, Prosser considered it could be launched as soon as March before the anticipated event that month was canceled.

AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2 release dates not expected until 2021

Those looking forward to AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 will have to wait much longer as these products are not expected to enter the market this year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, another reliable source of reports from the Apple supply chain, said in a recent note to investors that the AirPods 3 could be in production within the first half of 2021.

AirPods Pro 2, on the other hand, is not expected to enter full production until the last quarter of 2021 or even up to early 2022. These new products could usher in a set of upgraded tech and the next-generation processing chip.