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In a nutshell: Apple is expected to release two new variants of AirPods (4th-gen) by September, alongside the unveiling of the iPhone 16 series. It's been three years since Cupertino refreshed its entry-level AirPods.
Apple guru Mark Gurman notes that two AirPods 4 variants will replace the 2nd and 3rd generation AirPods it currently sells. The report aligns with an earlier rumor claiming Apple plans to launch an entry-level AirPods model by the end of this year. Insider Jeff Pu says Apple will market a new affordable model, AirPods Lite, manufactured by a Foxconn subsidiary in India.
The plan is to discontinue 2nd generation AirPods, which Apple released in 2019, replacing them with AirPods Lite (name has not been confirmed). Currently, AirPods 2 are $129, the least expensive earbuds in Apple's portfolio. A second version of AirPods 4 will replace 3rd-gen buds, which come with either the standard lightning charging case for $169 or a MagSafe case for $179.
The more expensive model would offer active noise cancellation and wireless charging, features AirPods Lite will lack.
Although we don't have final specs yet, Gurman says the AirPods 4 design combines AirPods 3rd-gen and AirPods Pro 2nd-gen. They will have shorter stems like the Pro but will not have the replaceable ear cups. However, Airpods 4 should have a better-fitting shape than previous models. Although we can't confirm the names of the two variants, the lower-tier model will probably carry a 'Lite' or 'Slim' label to differentiate it from the more expensive version.
Gurman didn't have pricing information, but if the lower-tier model is replacing AirPods 2, Apple will have to price it competitively at or around $129. Likewise, the mid-tier version should cost somewhere around $179 to $199, but likely won't offer the slightly cheaper Lightning charging case option.
Apple is set to announce its iPhone 16 lineup next month, too. Like last year, the new series will include four devices: the vanilla iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. They will undoubtedly ship with iOS 18 out of the box. However, rumors suggest buyers may have to wait to try out the much-hyped Apple Intelligence features, as Apple has delayed that functionality until the iOS 18.1 update in October.