We could see the first non-Pro AirPods model with active noise cancellation this year،
Apple plans to launch two new AirPods this year to replace the second and third generation models. According to Mark Gurman, writing in this week's Power On newsletter, Apple will launch a new entry-level AirPods variant with model number B768(E) and a new mid-level variant with model number B768(M). Production of the pair will begin in May at facilities owned by manufacturers GoerTek Inc. and Luxshare Precision Industry Co. The new AirPods are expected to go on sale in September or October.
The new AirPods will have a new design and fit users' ears better, and the charging cases will feature a USB-C port for charging instead of a Lightning port. The mid-range model will include active noise cancellation (the first non-AirPods Pro model to do so) and the case will include a Find My Speakers feature to help the AirPods owner find their headphones if they are found in a lost carrying case. Gurman says Apple plans to produce a record number of AirPods, with 20 to 25 million units of the new earbuds expected to roll off assembly lines.
Apple plans to make a record 20 to 25 million AirPods this year
Besides hardware changes, we should expect software changes for AirPods this year. One, which would come in conjunction with the release of iOS 18, would add a hearing aid mode for AirPods Pro allowing the premium headphones to be used as a hearing aid. Some hearing aids can now be sold without fittings, and the idea is that some hearing-impaired people, too embarrassed to wear a regular hearing aid, might be more likely to wear AirPods to help them hear. A new AirPods Pro model is expected to launch next year at the latest.
Another possible feature Apple is considering is adding a hearing test to AirPods allowing someone wearing the device to check their hearing. Gurman also says that Apple is working on a future AirPods model that will feature a low-resolution camera that will show the area around an AirPods user. We assume that these images would be available for viewing on the user's iPhone and would show what is behind the user that they cannot see when looking straight ahead.
