When to expect new AirPods and what the rumors say

AirPods are getting a refresh soon

While most rumors and leaks have focused on the iPhone 16 lineup, there’s also the fact that Apple is already gearing up for the holiday season. That’s when iPhones sell the most — and it’s likely when audio accessories sell the most, too.

Of course, Apple isn’t saying what its plans are, and it would be strange if it released new versions of every AirPod in its lineup at the same time. Still, every AirPod needs an update, so here’s what they’ll need, whenever they come out.

Starting with Apple's over-ear headphones — AirPods Max. There hasn't been a single update since they first came out in 2020, so it's high time they get here.

These well-regarded headphones are currently in a bit of a sorry state. They still sound great, but they still use Apple’s old Lightning connector for charging, rather than the now-ubiquitous USB-C.

Then the price dropped and some rumors pointed to a fall release for the second-generation unit. It could coincide with Apple's expected iPhone 16 event or an October Mac event, if possible.

The problem is that this update sounds minimal. Reports from Bloomberg and a message on Weibo have summed it up as a number of new colors and a switch to USB-C.

Both would be welcome, especially the USB-C charging, but if reports are true, the new AirPods Max could still feature an H1 processor. The H2 is now in the AirPods Pro 2 provides better noise cancellation and longer battery life.

The current AirPods Max are four years old

It would almost be shocking, then, if Apple launched a new generation of AirPods Max with such an old chip that it didn't support the latest features. In addition to the audio improvements — including Adaptive Audio support — H2 would bring full Find my skills too.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the AirPods-3 have been a bit of a disappointment. If users don’t want to invest in AirPods Pro, they seem to be skipping the latest regular AirPods and instead buying the basic and cheaper AirPods 2.

AirPods 2 are still in circulation years later

That's because AirPods 2 often retail for far less than their $129 price point, even going for $79 at retailers like Best Buy. With many similar features to the third-generation model, it's no wonder they're as popular as they are at that price point.

Apple has three levels of wireless earbuds

To address this, it has been claimed that a new AirPods 4 release would expand the range and come in two flavours. This has been repeatedly stated by the likes of in april by Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu and back as far as of December 2023 Through Bloomberg.

One flavor of AirPods 4 will reportedly be a cheaper version, which will likely be updated with a new design and USB-C, while the mid-tier will feature a more secure fit, active noise cancellation, and Find My built into the case.

Based on Apple's usual pricing strategy, it's likely that the new AirPods 4 will fall between the $129 and $199 price ranges.

Moving on to the AirPods Pro 3, Apple’s top-of-the-line earbuds. These were updated in 2022 before getting a mid-release spec bump a year later.

AirPods Pro can deliver lossless audio with Vision Pro

That minor update added USB-C, along with slightly improved durability and also lossless audio when paired with Apple Vision Pro.

It's far from clear what Apple might add to the AirPods Pro next, but there are patents that show it's exploring a wide range of possibilities. One of those patents has shown that Apple is investigating the possibility of adding a display to the AirPods charging case.

Images in the patents suggest that this screen could then be used to do things like summon Siri and see visual responses.

This one doesn't seem like such a huge departure, since it's already been seen. While Apple hasn't made AirPods Pro yet, counterfeiters have — and some have an OLED display on the body.

That screen showed media controls, battery status, and even a flashlight. Some of these seem redundant, but some have real potential.

For example, the idea of ​​seeing the battery status while charging without having to iPhone in the neighborhood would be very welcome.

Separately, analyst Ming Chi-Kuo has speculated Apple will add radar cameras to AirPods Pro by 2026. These will be better able to detect when a user's head is moving, allowing the audio to be adjusted in real time while the Vision Pro is worn.

AirPods Pro are still our favorite earbuds

Further rumors of Bloomberg have also shown Apple's continuing interest when adding various health sensors to AirPods. Heart rate and temperature sensors are both potential additions.

Since AirPods Pro were the most recently updated AirPods, it's possible that a refresh is the furthest away. Only Apple knows whether AirPods Pro sales warrant an earlier update, but so far there have been no rumors of a 2024 update.

While Apple won’t say when new AirPods will arrive, it has at least revealed that several new features are coming to existing AirPods soon. Built into the upcoming iOS 18 is a series of improvements for at least the AirPods Pro.

Apple has a lot of home and audio features this fall

Voice isolation will specifically help remove background noise when taking a call and can help people hear better. Additionally, new nod or shake gestures let you answer Siri without speaking.