Apple could soon launch chepaer 'AirPods Lite' trends now
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Apple could be developing a new, cheaper version of its wireless earbuds that will help it keep up with competitors, industry sources suggest.
It has been rumoured that the tech giant is working on a product called 'AirPods Lite' amid fears that there will be a drop in demand for its third generation AirPods in 2023.
Few details have been shared – and the company has not commented on the claims – but it is expected that the cheaper earbuds would be priced somewhere below $129 (£107), which is what the second generation AirPods currently cost.
The technology has proved very popular among Apple users but it does not come cheap — and with no indication of a date for its fourth generation AirPods this year there is a gap for the company to potentially launch a new product.
Insider claim: Apple could be developing a new, cheaper version of its wireless earbuds that will help it keep up with competitors, industry sources suggest. It has been rumoured that the tech giant is working on a product called 'AirPods Lite'. Pictured are Apple's AirPods Pro 2
Analyst Jeff Pu, of Haitong Intl Tech Research, said in a note seen by 9to5Mac that the aim of the new AirPods Lite was to compete with cheaper wireless earbuds.
He said that industry sources had told him that shipments of AirPods are expected to drop from 73 million units in 2022 to 63 million this year.
This has been blamed on a lack of demand for the third generation AirPods, which later this year will be two years old, coupled with the fact there is a suggestion that Apple won't release a newer version in 2023.
If the AirPods Lite rumour is true, there are no details on when they might be launched by the tech giant.
There is also no information about what the earbuds will look like or what features they'll have just yet – but they almost certainly won't have active noise cancellation as this is reserved for the high-end AirPod Pro model.
As a price comparison, AirPods 3 cost $169, or £179 in the UK, AirPods 2 cost $129, or £129 in the UK, and AirPods Pro (2nd generation) $249 (£249).
Unlike the standard AirPods, the new Pro model which was launched last year comes with silicone ear tips – available in four sizes – meaning they fit much more comfortably in a user's ears and feel secure when running or walking.
Few details have been shared – and the company has not commented on the claims – but it is expected that the cheaper earbuds would be priced
