With Apple's third-generation AirPods believed to be arriving alongside the iPhone 13, which is just a few weeks away, we have compiled all of the coherent rumors from our news coverage to build a full picture of the features and upgrades coming to the company's next-generation wireless earbuds.
AirPods 3 clones in a clear case, reportedly showing the next-generation design.
It is worth noting that the rumors below are aggregated from our coverage from a wide range of sources, including leakers, analysts, and publications. The reliability of each source varies, so some of the rumored features may be taken with a pinch of salt.
Nevertheless, the overall view of the third-generation AirPods rumors gives a good idea of many of the upcoming upgrades and what users can largely expect from the true wireless earbuds when they are officially revealed in the near future.
AirPods Pro-like design with shorter stems and a larger in-ear shell.
Next-generation wireless chip, replacing the Apple H1 headphone chip. It is the same chip expected to come to the second-generation AirPods Pro, will feature a smaller System-in-Package and could offer improved efficiency, longer range, and better performance.
Force sensor controls on the stems like the AirPods Pro, replacing the tap-based controls of the first and second-generation AirPods.
Pressure relief system with vents brought over from the AirPods Pro, designed to equalize pressure within the ear to relieve discomfort when using the AirPods for a long period of time.
Charging case with Qi wireless chargingas standard, with no need to upgrade to a higher-spec charging case.
It would also not be unreasonable to expect the next-generation AirPods to feature improved sound quality and better battery life, but there have been no rumors about these aspects thus far.
The entry-level AirPods are expected to continue to forgo higher-end features such as Active Noise Cancelation and Transparency to remain clearly differentiated from the AirPods Pro. This may also explain the continued absence of in-ear silicone tips.
Apple's second-generation AirPods launched in March 2019, making them almost two and a half years old. If these new features do come to the third-generation AirPods, the new model could shape up to be a worthwhile upgrade for many users. 52audio believes that the new AirPods will be priced at $150.
Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website.
Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50.
We have outlined some examples below:
Device
New Value
Old Value
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Up to $630
U ...
Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app.
Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features.
Notification Summary Changes
Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines.
For...
Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action.
Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
Wednesday January 15, 2025 7:16 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device.
Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by Juli Clover
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...
Friday January 17, 2025 5:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
2025 promises to be quite a big year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements this year.
Apple's rumored smart home hub will be its second all-new product to launch in as many years, following the Apple Vision Pro headset last year. And of course, we will get several new iPhone and Apple Watch models, like every year. Beyond that, Apple could...
Saturday January 18, 2025 10:28 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr.
The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models:
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iPhone 15
iPhone 15 Plus
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 14
iPhon...
Am I the only one who likes the tapping for control? Especially in winter when I can put my hat over my ears and still control them even wearing gloves.
I never understood the complaints that it’s painful pressing them into your ear, they take really light taps.
Shorter stems and no in-ear tips are perfect for me. My ears have always liked the feel of the "standard" Apple earbuds rather that in-ear ones.
I expect a small price hike, but my wallet is ready. My Gen 1 AirPods are getting long in the teeth and the battery life barely lasts an hour of listening to music now.
I look more forward to this update than the phone. Its time to upgrade my AirPods. And I'm so glad they're not copying the rubber tips of the pro gosh those old rumours were hurting my soul, cant stand rubber tips on headphones.
Am I the only one who likes the tapping for control? Especially in winter when I can put my hat over my ears and still control them even wearing gloves.
I never understood the complaints that it’s painful pressing them into your ear, they take really light taps.
Nope, you're not alone. The squeeze controls of the Pros are my only real gripe with them. They never work for me. I'll squeeze and the only result is pulling the F'ers out of my ear. Trying to skip track while jogging has resulted in the thing falling out of my ear instead because surprise surprise: delicately manipulating a tiny stem with a thumb and forefinger while bouncing around = failure. This is why I ultimately kept my Gen 2 standard Pods for the gym and jogging trail. Tap controls are the better solution, and I cannot for the life of me understand why Apple was so dead set on moving away from them.
