If the new $549 AirPods Max or the $249 AirPods Pro are a bit pricey for you, don’t worry: According to a new report, Apple plans to launch new “AirPods Lite” wireless earbuds in 2021, priced significantly lower.
The new model would look similar to the current AirPods Pro, but would not include the active noise cancellation feature found in Apple’s top-of-the-line wireless earbuds.
The report, from TheElec, says the Lite version of the AirPods will cost around 20% less than AirPods Pro. That makes a price point around $199 sound reasonable.
That’s still more than the $159 the original AirPods launched at in December 2016. However, for this extra cash you’d get the AirPods Pro design, and possibly the spatial audio tech.
“Apple initially planned to launch a Lite version right after the AirPods Pro were launched in October of last year,” the Korean publication says. “But the company canceled this as AirPods Pro were selling better than expected.”
There’s no mention of whether the new AirPods Lite would come with a wireless charging case. Regular AirPods with the wireless charger retail for $199. According to TheElec, work on a specially designed chip for the AirPods Lite is underway.
A South Korean material supplier is currently developing a system-in-package (SiP) with AirPods’ H1 chip.
The SiP used for H1 chip in the regular AirPods Pro was round shaped like a mouse. The SiP for the H1 chip in the Lite version will be a simple square shape. The supplier will go through Apple’s quality review within the year and begin mass production next year.
AirPods Lite could appeal to audiophiles on a budget
If the AirPods Lite rumor proves true, it seems likely that this would mean phasing out the original AirPods design altogether. Apple often follows this strategy of producing high- and low-end models across its entire product line. The iPhone 12 series, for instance, offers the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max for big spenders, while the iPhone 12 and 12 mini (or the recently refreshed iPhone SE) appeal to budget-conscious consumers. The HomePod comes in both the original version and the smaller HomePod mini. And the Apple Watch is available in the regular version and the stripped-down Apple Watch SE.
If the “AirPods Lite” name is accurate, this would be the first Apple product to bear the “Lite” branding. But calling them the AirPods mini would be confusing if they were the same size as the Pro. AirPods SE, maybe?
Apple’s strategy is smart for marketing sleight-of-hand purposes. Introducing low-cost versions of its devices allows Apple to push the price at the top end of the market without losing some customers for good. However, it also makes the lower-end products look deceptively cheap when compared to the premium models. Even if, as is supposedly the case here, it’s pricier than Apple’s earlier “standard” products in the category.
Would you be in the market for AirPods Lite? What do you think Apple should call them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
