Apple is gearing up to begin mass shipments of next-generation AirPods, including second-generation AirPods Max and more affordable base AirPods, in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, according to TF International Securities Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo).
The new entry-level AirPods will target a $99 USD price point, the tipster said in a series of tweets on Wednesday. In comparison, the third-generation AirPods Apple launched in October 2021 cost $179 USD ($239 CAD).
In addition, Apple is reportedly working on second-generation AirPods Max as the first-generation ones, which also came out in 2021, start to age.
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The next-generation AirPods will likely begin mass shipments in 2H24 or 1H25, including more affordable AirPods (with Apple targeting a price of $99) and new AirPods Max, which will be assembled by Luxshare ICT and Hon Teng.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 12, 2023
According to Kuo, Apple will also replace Goertek with FIT Hon Teng as its supplier for AirPods assembly. Hon Teng is a subsidiary of Foxconn, which puts together most of Apple’s iPhones. The new AirPods Max, Kuo added, will be assembled by Hon Teng and Luxshare ICT.
Kuo’s timeline indicates that Apple is unlikely to debut any new AirPods models this year, having refreshed the AirPods Pro only a few months ago. This lines up with a recent report from renowned oracle for all things Apple, Mark Gurman, who said that Apple doesn’t have any new AirPods models on its product roadmap for 2023.
