Manufacturers of Apple AirPods are reportedly commencing production for the upcoming lineup of AirPod models. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company intends to manufacture 20 million to 25 million units of the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds, representing an increase over the previous iterations.
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“Production is set to officially begin in May at GoerTek Inc. and Luxshare Precision Industry Co., paving the way for a launch around September or October. As I’ve emphasized on multiple occasions, the new AirPods mark a renewed emphasis on the lower end of the market,” he stated in the latest installment of his weekly newsletter.
The upcoming models are expected to replace the second and third-generation AirPods, which are priced at ₹12,900 and ₹19,900 on Apple’s website. Gurman predicts that they will feature a design-improved fit and a USB Type C charging case. Additionally, the mid-tier version that will replace the third-generation Apple AirPods is likely to include noise cancellation and Find My speakers on the case – features currently found in the AirPods Pro models.
There are also plans for software updates for Apple AirPods with the rollout of iOS 18 this year. This could introduce a hearing aid mode for the AirPods Pro, an idea Gurman hinted at in July 2023. Despite existing features like Conversation Boost and Live Listen on AirPods they still await approval.
Earlier speculations by Gurman suggested that Apple is considering adding sensors to measure body temperature in the earbuds potentially offering readings than those from the wrist measurements of Apple Watch 8 Series and Ultra. Furthermore, Gurman hinted at models of AirPods Pro arriving as soon as 2025. In the future, there are plans to enhance TWS earphones with cameras that can scan the environment around the user. However, this advancement is still years, down the road.