Kuo: Second-Generation AirPods Pro to Launch in Second Half of 2022

Apple plans to release second-generation AirPods Pro in the second half of 2022, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a tweet today.

airpods pro black background
While the second-generation AirPods have remained available to purchase since Apple released third-generation AirPods last year, Kuo said Apple may discontinue the original AirPods Pro when the new ones are released later this year. Apple announced the AirPods Pro on October 30, 2019, making them nearly two and half years old.

Kuo also said that demand for the third-generation AirPods is "significantly weaker" than for the second-generation AirPods, resulting in Apple reducing its third-generation AirPods orders from suppliers by at least 30% in the second to third quarter of this year.


Kuo has previously claimed that the second-generation AirPods Pro will feature a "significantly upgraded" wireless chip compared to the H1 chip in the original AirPods Pro. The chip powers audio-related functions like active noise cancellation, and improvements to this technology could result in improved battery life for longer listening time per charge. Kuo also expects the new AirPods Pro to support lossless audio on Apple Music.

Kuo also previously claimed that the new AirPods Pro charging case will be able to emit a sound to help users find it when misplaced. It is likely the charging case will also have water resistance like the third-generation AirPods charging case.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu have previously reported that Apple has tested a more compact design for the new AirPods Pro that would eliminate the stems that drop below the earbuds. If this ends up being the final design, the new AirPods Pro could look similar to Apple's Beats Studio Buds released last year.

Gurman and Wu also claimed the new AirPods Pro would feature motion sensors for fitness tracking capabilities alongside the Apple Watch.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
34 months ago
Can we please get AirPods Pro in new colors? They will sell like hot cakes.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shalev Avatar
34 months ago
DO NOT REDESIGN them, they are perfect as they are.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TimWillz Avatar
34 months ago
Lossless audio support - take my money.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
34 months ago
I’m definitely planning to get these later this year

I hope that Apple improves the noise cancellation in the 2nd gen version

Hopefully Apple adds additional health features to this year’s version as well
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jicon Avatar
34 months ago
Water resistant case would be nice. I had left my case and airpods v1 in a pocket that got washed, and no longer charged. Fortunately we had moved in to a house we bought two months earlier, and upon pulling weeds out of the grass, inadvertently speared an old charging case from the previous owner, or visitor that worked like a charm still. Unbelievable luck unearthing that, and still have it work.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NewUsername Avatar
34 months ago
I understand the AirPods 2 still sell well. For the average consumer, the difference between AirPods 2 and 3 is close to nothing, but the price difference is significant. And they definitely won’t care that AirPods 3 comes with a USB-C cable instead of a USB-A cable, or that the AirPods 3 case has wireless charging.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)