Apple headphones coming later this year, new AirPods slated for 2021, says analyst

As for the AirPods, Kuo adds that third-generation AirPods will enter mass production in the first half of next year (2021).

The 2nd-gen AirPods Pro is said to enter mass production in late 2021 or early 2022, as per analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. (Pixabay)

We have been hearing quite a lot about the upcoming iPhones by Apple, tipped as iPhone 12 series, but not much is out about the future audio line up by the company. Throwing some light on it, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now predicted that Apple's rumoured over-ear headphones will enter mass production 'this summer' and will likely launch later this year. In addition, Apple also has its new AirPods and AirPods Pro in the pipeline.

The over-ear headphones are said to feature a unique magnetic design. Last week's Bloomberg report also mentioned the rumoured earphones to come with swappable magnetic parts. We are yet to see how it will work. Kuo (via 9to5Mac) says that these will be high-end headphones so one can assume it might not be as affordable as AirPods. Apple has reportedly created two variations of the unannounced earphones. While one has leather fabrics, the other one sports lighter materials and is more suited for the 'fitness' category.

As for the AirPods, Kuo adds that third-generation AirPods will enter mass production in H1 of next year (2021). The 3rd-gen AirPods are said to use the same production process as the existing AirPods Pro. Other than this, nothing else is known about the wireless earbuds for now except for the fact that the design will likely stay the same.

The 2nd-gen AirPods Pro is said to enter mass production in late 2021 or early 2022. But since we are more than a year away from it, not much is known about the product. Kuo says that reports talking about 'AirPods Pro Lite' earbuds might not be true and those could simply be a new Beats model.