Apple’s AirPods with cameras might be getting all the attention, but apparently there’s a more imminent pair of Apple wireless earbuds in the pipeline. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, AirPods 5 are coming and could be released alongside the new iPhones in September.
Bloomberg reports that AirPods 5 will come in two variations, one with active noise cancellation (ANC) and one without, but outside of that, there’s not much more information to go on just yet. If there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that AirPods 5 will act as the entry-level option to the AirPods Pro 3 and will likely come with all the hallmarks of previous generations, including the lack of silicone ear tips.
What I’m curious about is whether Apple will venture into non-traditional wireless earbuds territory as it did with the AirPods Pro 3, which now have health features like heart rate monitoring. Obviously, Apple has to retain some unique features in its Pro lineup, but there could also be some trickle-down, especially as the company pivots its wireless earbuds towards the future with rumored features like computer vision.
I’ll also be curious to see whether this is the debut of Apple’s H3 chip. While the H3 was rumored to have been included as part of the AirPods Pro 3 rollout, it never made its way to the final product. The H3 could bring a few improvements, including lower-latency audio, better sound quality, and even better battery life.
Mostly, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple attempts to make sure that the AirPods 5 aren’t completely overshadowed by its Pro line. They’ll be cheaper, for sure, but will they be cheap enough to justify the benefits you lose by not having silicone ear tips? Worse ANC and a looser fit have long been the biggest drawbacks of entry-level AirPods.
If Bloomberg is right, we won’t have to wait very long to get some answers, at least. Meanwhile, Apple is also reportedly updating its other wireless headphone lines, too, including the Beats 360.
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