By the time Apple gets around to releasing the second-generation AirPods Pro this fall, it will have been some three years between updates. But the latest rumors suggest they will be worth the wait.
According to LeaksApplePro (writing for iDropNews), the upcoming AirPods Pro will bring several high-end audio features to separate them from the recently released third-generation AirPods. Along with a new stemless design that fits flush in the ear, LeaksApplePro claims the new earbuds “will be the biggest innovation in wireless earbuds since the original AirPods were introduced in 2016.”
To back up those claims, the site says Apple will introduce two new audio features: lossless audio and “state-of-the-art” noise-canceling. The current AirPods Pro already have noise-canceling, of course, but this report indicates that the technology will be improved to match that of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds and other competitors. It’s possible that Apple will launch an H2 chip to amplify the system.
Lossless audio would be another first-of-its-kind feature. Since Apple Music got lossless audio last year, Apple has added support to most of its audio-capable devices except AirPods due to the limitations of Bluetooth. A new codec would remove that barrier and turn AirPods Pro into the ultimate lossless audio device no matter if you’re listening with a Mac, iPhone, or Apple Watch.
LeaksApplePro reports that the new AirPods Pro will continue to be sold in white but may get a fairly significant price hike to $299. The current model costs $249 but is often on sale for under $200, putting them awfully close to the $179 price tag for the third-generation AirPods. A price hike would put a bit more distance between the models while also pricing them as a premium product compared to the Bose QuietComfort and Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds, both of which cost $280.
The second-generation AirPods Pro are expected to launch at the iPhone 14 event in mid-September, though LeaksApplePro says Apple could spread out the fall releases again if the events are still virtual rather than in-person.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.