A new report claims Apple is likely to delay the launch of its new AirPods Pro to the second half of 2020 or perhaps to sometime in 2021.
A new report from Taiwanese publication DigiTimes cites supply chain sources. The paywalled report, seen by MacRumors says:
Apple likely to defer new AirPods Pro launch
Apple is likely to defer the launch of its new AirPods Pro to the second half of 2020 or even 2021, according to sources at related suppliers.
Last month, DigiTimes reported Apple’s suppliers would begin producing new entry-level “AirPods Lite: sometime around the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second quarter. However, that timeframe could easily have been changed due to the impact of the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
As is usual in rumors situations like this, the DigiTimes report conflicts with a tweet from yesterday, when noted leaker Jon Prosser claimed Apple has new AirPods ready for launch as early as next month, possibly alongside a new 13-inch MacBook Pro. Prosser says the new AirPods could launch sometime next month, but he’s not sure about the exact timing of the announcement.
While Prosser didn’t offer any details on what new features we might expect to see in any next-gen AirPods, one possibility is that the new AirPods would feature the same design as the AirPods Por, but will lack Active Noise Cancellation.
It’s not for certain where an AirPods Pro Lite model would fit into Apple’s AirPods lineup. The company currently asks $199 for AirPods and $249 for AirPods Pro, and also sell AirPods without a wireless charging case for $159. The new AirPods could be a replacement for the cheaper item.
