Some great sales prices have popped up lately for Apple’s flagship earbuds, AirPods Pro. That may relate to the fact that the highly anticipated next-gen version with new features is expected to launch before the end of the year. And sellers want to clear out stock.
So should you take the deal behind door No. 1, or wait for whatever’s coming with AirPods Pro 2 behind door No. 2? Let’s look at your options for Apple’s top active noise-cancelling (ANC) wireless earbuds.
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AirPods Pro deals and reasons you might want to skip them in favor of the 2nd-gen flagship earbuds
The main question here comes down to this: Do you want to save a bundle on the great-but-aging AirPods Pro, released in 2019, or do you want to wait and get Apple’s best-possible earbuds, with whatever upgrades they pack?
Audiophiles and those who aspire to that sort of thing would probably opt for the second one. And discerning music fans on a budget might go for the first one.
For those who like to save, you can take 20% off AirPods Pro at Amazon right now, saving $50. That’s $199 instead of $249. And we’ve seen prices as low $169 and $179, so just keep your eyes open for the best deals.
Note that it’s quite possible Apple won’t keep the current AirPods Pro around at a discount after the new ones come out, either.
And for those who think they might want to wait for the 2nd-gen buds, let’s look at what’s coming.
AirPods Pro 2: New form factor, lossless audio, redesigned charging case and more
Back in January, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted changes to the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 earbuds:
We expect Apple to launch AirPods Pro 2 in 4Q22 with new selling points, including a new form factor design, support for Apple Lossless (ALAC) format, and a charging case that can emit a sound for users to track. We are optimistic about the demand for AirPods Pro 2 and estimate shipments will reach 18–20 mn units in 2022.
Form factor
His speculation on what the new earbuds will look like joins plenty of other thoughts on the matter. Kuo has said the new earbuds may take on a look similar to Beats Fit Pro or Beats Studio Buds. That would mean AirPods Pro 2 drop their stems and maybe even acquire a wingtip design that catches in the earlobe for stability.
But other sources have said AirPods Pro 2 will mainly retain the current style but gain a redesigned wireless charging case that will support Find My functionality.
Lossless audio
Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected AirPods Pro 2 to add support for lossless audio, which would mean some internal reworking. While Apple Music already features lossless audio, corresponding changes inside the earbuds should only improve sound quality.
For those who put sound quality first with earbuds — even though they still appreciate factors like a snug fit and strong ANC — this should matter.
Health and fitness sensors
Besides a new form factor and lossless audio, Kuo speculated that AirPods Pro 2 may include health and fitness sensors. Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman believed this for a time, as well. But a few days ago Gurman said we shouldn’t expect to see any health monitoring features on this year’s upcoming model.
Rumors of AirPods Pro gaining health features swirled last year when Apple and Cornell University studied ways in which AirPods could help monitor respiratory rate. Medical pros could use breath audio data from the microphones to help assess overall health and fitness. But this possibility is also for the future, not this year.
Other changes
The next AirPods Pro should have the next rendition of Apple’s H1 chip. The device may also support Bluetooth 5.2, which should provide a more stable wireless audio connection.
With all these probable new upgrades, AirPods Pro 2 may see a price bump over the current list of $249. A price reduction or the same price would be great, but a hike seems likely.
Given all of the above, would you opt to go for savings with Door No. 1, or wait for the new AirPods Pro 2 with Door No. 2? Let us know in the Comments section below.
