According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is gearing up for its biggest AirPods launch ever, with suppliers ready to begin production of the next generation of the popular earbuds.
Unnamed sources claim that Apple plans to make between 20 million to 25 million units, an increase from previous launches. Production is set to start in May at supplier factories owned by GoerTek and Luxshare Precision, with a planned release window around September or October (likely tied into iPhone 16). This new line seeks to expand Apple’s presence in the lower-end market segment.
The upcoming models, codenamed B768(E) and B768(M) for “entry” and “mid-tier” respectively, will feature a redesign, improved fit, and USB-C charging cases. Also, the mid-tier version will support active noise cancellation and Find My speakers within the case, making it easy to find the latter if it’s lost.
Gurman also highlights upcoming AirPods software updates as part of iOS 18’s final release this fall (Apple will likely tease iOS 18 at WWDC). These include a hearing aid mode for AirPods Pro and a hearing-test feature. Apple is also reportedly adding a blood-pressure monitoring feature to the next Apple Watch this fall.
As for future upgrades, a new version of AirPods Pro is expected as early as 2025. Apple is also developing a future AirPods model equipped with cameras for scanning a user’s surroundings, which will be interesting to see how this plays out.
