AirPods 3 Mass Production Said to Kick Off in August

Mass production of the third-generation AirPods will kick off in August, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia. They will reportedly join a number of other products such as the iPhone 13 lineup and redesigned MacBook Pro models as launches coming before the end of the year.

airpods 3 gizmochina Feature tealRenderings of rumored third-generation AirPods design

Rumored launch dates for the third-generation AirPods have varied significantly over the past year, with some having pointed to a launch in the first half of 2021 that obviously failed to come to fruition while others indicated that a second-half launch was more likely.

With mass production kicking off next month, a launch could come as soon as September alongside the new iPhones, although Apple could certainly still wait to launch them alongside some other products later in the year.

The third-generation AirPods are rumored to adopt a similar design to the current AirPods Pro, with shorter stems and silicone ear tips for a customizable fit. They would, however, lack some of the advanced features of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ such as Active Noise Cancellation.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ are also rumored to be seeing an update with the removal of the stems entirely, which could result in a design similar to that of the recently launched Beats Studio Buds. The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ debut isn't rumored to be happening until the first half of 2022, however.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

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...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Visa and American Express Vying to Win Apple Card Deal in 'Fierce' Fight

Tuesday April 1, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Visa wants to pay Apple approximately $100 million to be the new payment network for the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. As of right now, the Apple Card is on the Mastercard payment network, but that is set to change because Apple is ending its partnership with Goldman Sachs. Both American Express and Visa are vying to replace Mastercard as Apple's card services provider, while...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

iPhones Could Cost Up to $2,300 in the U.S. Due to Tariffs, Analyst Says

Friday April 4, 2025 9:30 am PDT by
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that steep tariffs will be applied to imports from many countries, starting April 9. The tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple, as the company assembles the majority of iPhones in China, and products imported to the U.S. from China will be subject to a 54% tariff. iPhone prices could increase by up to 43% in the U.S. due to the...

Top Rated Comments

TopToffee Avatar
48 months ago
Please, please PLEASE don't put rubber tips on the new AirPods.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PowerMacBook Avatar
48 months ago

I loved my second gen Airpods, and I love my Airpod Pros even more. I just hope they find a way to increase battery life, even if it's just by a couple hours.
for the ultimate mono-experience, simply have one in the box and swap from time to time...?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Clark Avatar
48 months ago
I loved my second gen Airpods, and I love my Airpod Pros even more. I just hope they find a way to increase battery life, even if it's just by a couple hours.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
48 months ago
There’s hope! Expecting to be release in the Fall.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hcherry Avatar
48 months ago
My 2nd-gen AirPods are getting less reliable (mics have basically gone out; and my devices don’t connect to them as quickly as they used to) so I’m likely getting a new set.

Really hoping there’s an option without the silicone/plug tips. I really like the way the original AirPods feel — I can wear them all day and night without any discomfort.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anshuvorty Avatar
48 months ago
Yeah, I need a new pair. My Day 1 AirPods are basically almost unusable right now. They have lasted 5 years, so a good run!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)