New AirPods, which Apple reportedly planned to unveil at its canceled-before-it-was-announced March event, are ready to go, claims regular Apple leaker Jon Prosser.
In a tweet Sunday, he claimed the upgraded earbuds likely will arrive alongside a new MacBook Pro next month.
New AirPods (which were supposed to be at the March Event) are now ready to go.
Probably alongside the MacBook Pro next month.
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) April 19, 2020
It’s not clear exactly which AirPods Prosser is referring to, however. In Prosser’s Twitter thread, Apple leaker @L0vetodream suggested that the code name for the refreshed AirPods is B288a.
If true, this would be different from the so-called AirPods X, which could resemble the Beats X headphones (and would be aimed at runners and those with active lifestyles). That model — code-named B515 — is supposedly targeted for a September or October release. It also seems unlikely that Prosser would be referencing a revised AirPods Pro model. The first-gen AirPods Pro came out in October 2019.
Instead, it is likely that these AirPods will serve as an upgrade to the second-gen AirPods, which debuted March 2019. This would offer customers updated AirPods at a lower price point than the Pro models.
Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro that Prosser referred to is likely the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro. Recent reports suggest that this will be Apple’s first 13-inch MacBook Pro with a vastly improved Magic Keyboard. The refresh also could introduce speedier Intel processors, improved speakers and perhaps even a larger display.
What improvements, if any, would you like to see made to Apple’s basic AirPods? Let us know in the comments below.
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
