Upgraded AirPods are on the way in early 2019, with a total redesign scheduled for 2020. At least, that’s according to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a new note to clients.
Kuo claims that the big improvement for next year’s AirPods will be the addition of wireless charging support. This is most likely the wireless charging case that Apple first announced back in September 2017, alongside its still MIA AirPower charging mat.
Kuo doesn’t elaborate on what the major 2020 redesign is likely to mean for the AirPods.
He does, however, view this as a big product for Apple. He claims that the AirPods are Apple’s most popular accessory of all time, and suggests that the number of units sold will likely rise from 16 million in 2017 to more than 100 million by 2021.
Even more expensive
The only bit of bad news from Kuo’s report is the fact, as with so many of Apple’s new products, the 2019 AirPods are likely to be more expensive. The current wireless earbuds sell for an already premium $159.
Components in the new AirPods apparently costs 60 percent more than those in the current model. Without knowing how much the AirPods cost to assemble, it’s not clear how much extra that would be. However, it’s not unreasonable to think that the sequel could come in closer to $200.
Kuo doesn’t mention it in his article today, but previous reports have suggested that the new AirPods could boast noise cancellation and water resistance.
What would you like to see from Apple’s next-gen wireless earbuds? And how much would you be willing to pay for them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: 9to5Mac
