We hope that Apple can announce the third generation AirPods soon. We have been running rumors about his arrival for several months and although everything seemed to indicate that they were ready for a possible event that same month of march, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is delaying its entry into production for the third quarter of 2021.
The continuation and evolution of the AirPods range
The third-generation AirPods, of which we’ve allegedly seen a few photos, would arrive with the design of the AirPods Pro, but without the interchangeable ear pads. A change that will be accompanied by the absence of active noise cancellation technology with which Apple will differentiate, both in price and performance, the input range and the Pro of its headphones.
As for the arrival date, the truth is, we all expected these headphones to appear this same March. Ming-Chi Kuo himself claimed in November that third-generation AirPods would arrive in the first half of 2021. This claim, along with the increase in leaks, they gave credibility to an arrival for that same month of March, as Kang recently stated.
Now, however, Kuo is hoping that the AirPods units sold between the first and the third quarter of 2021 decrease of 25% During the previous year. A drop that would not affect the units sold during the fourth quarter thanks to the sales of the third generation AirPods.
A drop in sales in the first quarter which suggests a launch later than expected so far.
The analyst explains that we don’t know if Apple will stop making second-generation AirPods, with its characteristic design, at the same time as that of the third generation begins. The truth is, if Apple continues to sell the second generation of AirPods, at a lower price, the demand for the third could suffer.
If AirPods 2 reach end of life after mass production of AirPods 3, we estimate AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, AirPods 2 and AirPods Max will be around 40%, 28%, 31% and 1% respectively. of total shipments in 2021. If AirPods 2 continue to be produced after the mass production of AirPods 3, we estimate that AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, AirPods 2 and AirPods Max will account for around 32%, 28%, 39% and 1% of total shipments in 2021, respectively.
The analyst attributes this drop in sales to increased competition. At the same time, he indicates that the technical capabilities of AirPods, with their instant connection to different devices and their integration with the Apple ecosystem, gradually reject competitors, even if they offer lower prices.
After announcing the end of manufacturing of the original HomePod to focus on the HomePod mini, the truth is that we can glimpse something of the company’s plans in terms of sound. The design change of AirPods, the design change of AirPods Pro, and the introduction of AirPods Max are opening up some very exciting possibilities in wireless audio. We will be attentive to the news.
