New AirPods and MacBooks Due to Launch Later This Year

New MacBooks and AirPods are still on course for launch later this year, according to Taiwanese website Economic Daily News.

AirPod 3 and Flat MacBook Pro Feature
Apple suppliers are reportedly hurrying to increase capacity in preparation for the release of new MacBooks and AirPods in the second half of this year. Shipment momentum is expected to be "significantly stronger" from the third quarter of the year at the earliest, improving order fulfillment.

Shin Zu Shing supplies bearings to Apple for MacBooks, AirPods charging cases, and AirPods Max headbands, and is currently believed to be cooperating with Apple to supply bearings for new MacBook and AirPods products. The supplier is said to be struggling to meet demand and is in the process of hiring more manpower to expand production capacity.

While the report did not state which MacBooks and AirPods are expected to be released, it is highly likely that it refers to redesigned MacBook Pro models featuring Apple Silicon and third-generation AirPods.

The second half of 2021 timeframe lines up with a range of other reports about the redesigned ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. Reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman said that new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models could launch as soon as this summer, but analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, Nikkei Asia, and TrendForce have given a broader prediction that new ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will arrive in the second half of 2021.

Similarly, Bloomberg and DigiTimes have claimed that third-generation AirPods will arrive later this year, following a spate of rumors about the new earbuds.

Both upgraded devices were rumored to launch earlier this year but have yet to emerge. Other reports have explained this confusion around Apple rescheduling mass-production from May to June to the second half of the year amid shortages and technical issues.

Economic Daily News indicated that there was a shortage of components not related to bearings and Apple ordered an "inventory adjustment" earlier this year, which may suggest that the launch date of updated MacBooks and AirPods was pushed back to later in 2021 by Apple due to shortages. Through the second half of the year, even if the bearing component itself is not subject to shortages, its shipment momentum may still be constrained by the supply of other components for the devices but will improve month by month, according to the report.

The new MacBooks are expected to push MacBook shipments to 23 million units this year for an annual increase of 15 percent. While AirPods shipments are expected to decrease around 25 to 30 percent in the first half of 2021, the launch of an updated model may boost annual sales by 10 to 15 percent in the second half of 2021.

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, MacBook Pro
Related Forums: AirPods, MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

Alleged iOS 19 Icons Front Page Tech

iOS 19 Leak Reveals Alleged New Design With Rounder App Icons, Floating Tab Bar, and More

Monday April 7, 2025 3:13 pm PDT by
YouTube channel Front Page Tech is back today with another video that provides a closer look at iOS 19's alleged design changes. The video contains re-created renders of iOS 19, which are allegedly based on real footage of the software update, provided by sources within Apple. Overall, iOS 19 is expected to have a more glass-like, visionOS-inspired design, with added translucency for user...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro's New Rear Camera Bar 'Same Color As Rest of Device'

Monday April 7, 2025 2:09 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a redesigned rear camera panel that spans the width of the device, but it will be the same color as the iPhone itself, rather than being part of a two-tone design. That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, the reporter says the iPhone 17 Pro won't have a two-toned back, as some renders have...
iphone 16 pro colors 1

Is Now the Time to Upgrade Apple Devices Before Tariffs Lead to Price Increases?

Friday April 4, 2025 3:41 pm PDT by
If you have an older Apple device that you've been considering upgrading, you're probably wondering how the newly announced tariffs might impact prices going forward, and whether it's worth buying now before there's a price hike. Given analyst and economist responses to the tariffs, market panic, and Trump's stance on the current financial chaos, the answer is that making a purchase...
iphone x front back

Apple Planning 'Bold' New 20th Anniversary Design for 2027 iPhone Pro

Monday April 7, 2025 2:46 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "major shake-up" for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. iPhone X released in 2017 for 10th anniversary Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple plans to launch a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold" new iPhone Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass. Could this mean Apple plans to realize former...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

5 Biggest Changes Rumored for iPhone 17 Pro

Tuesday April 8, 2025 2:38 am PDT by
Later this year, Apple will introduce the iPhone 17 series, which includes the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, two new high-end flagship devices that will be sold alongside the regular iPhone 17 and an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. If you have been holding out for the iPhone 17 Pro or its bigger sibling, here are five of the biggest changes, informed by the latest reports and...
jony ive ipad pro

Jony Ive's Latest Project Could Be an AI 'Phone' Without a Screen

Monday April 7, 2025 5:37 am PDT by
OpenAI is considering acquiring the AI hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to a new report from The Information. The deal could be worth at least $500 million. The venture, known as "io Products," is developing AI-powered devices that could include a "phone" without a screen and other AI-enabled household products, according to...

Top Rated Comments

Tsuki415 Avatar
49 months ago
Hey. New stuff is coming soon, based on what a known leaker says. Unless it doesn’t. Then it’ll be even later than that.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dantracht Avatar
49 months ago
Slow news day/week, so why not rehash this news yet again.

We know, we know. New everything else later this year, meaning fall.

How many times can this be repeated??
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EvilEvil Avatar
49 months ago
No kidding. Captain Obvious news story.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
49 months ago
can’t you just update one of your old articles? I feel like there is one like these every month adding no additional value
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nik Avatar
49 months ago
This news seems … redundant.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tom.humphrey Avatar
49 months ago
And the sky is blue
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)