Bank of America Identifies Top Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Stocks Poised for AI-Driven Growth 
OpenAI Executive Shake-Up Ahead of Anticipated 2026 IPO 
NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo 
Apple Turns 50: From Garage Startup to AI Crossroads 
U.S. Disrupts Russian Military Hackers' Global DNS Hijacking Network 
China's Push to Steal Taiwan's Chip Technology and Talent Raises Security Alarms 
Rubio Directs U.S. Diplomats to Use X and Military Psyops to Counter Foreign Propaganda 
SanDisk Joins Nasdaq-100, Replacing Atlassian on April 20 
Anthropic Fights Pentagon Blacklisting in Dual Federal Court Battles 
Britain Courts Anthropic Amid US Defense Department Dispute 
Annie Altman Amends Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman 
China's AI Stocks Surge as Zhipu and MiniMax Hit Record Highs 
Samsung Electronics Posts Eightfold Profit Surge Driven by AI Chip Demand 
Anthropic's Mythos AI Model Sparks Emergency Cybersecurity Meeting With Top U.S. Bank CEOs 
Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Sparks Global Movement 
It has been more than a year since the second generation of the entry-level AirPods was released, and its successor is expected to arrive next year. While the AirPods 3 is anticipated to sport a new form factor, it is a design with which Apple fans are already familiar.
AirPods 3 release date eyed in H1 2021
The AirPods line does not get the same treatment as iPhones in the sense that it does not get a new model released every year. It is then not surprising that 2020 is about to end and Apple is unlikely going to launch AirPods 3.
However, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the AirPods 3 is slated for release in the first half of 2021. If this became a reality, it would mean that Apple minimized the waiting period for the arrival of new entry-level earbuds. The first AirPods was launched in 2016, but its successor was not launched until March 2019.
AirPods 3 to look like AirPods Pro but without premium features
As mentioned, AirPods 3 is expected to be released with a new look. Apple is expected to design the device with system-in-package (SiP) technology that is crucial to achieving a similar design as AirPods Pro. With that, AirPods 3 can be expected to sport shorter stems and to ship with a new charging case. Another possibility is for Apple’s next entry-level earbuds to have customizable ear tips.
However, the similarity between AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro likely ends with the design. As a cheaper option, fans should not expect the AirPods 3 to ship with premium features introduced on the AirPods Pro such as the Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode.
That does not mean the AirPods 3 will not have upgrades, though. Apple is reportedly developing a new wireless chip for its upcoming earbuds and a battery improvement is also a likely change.
The AirPods Pro was launched with just a wireless charging case, and that could also be the same strategy for the AirPods 3. Meanwhile, sweat and water resistance is also a feature reserved only for the Pro-branded earbuds. But since AirPods 3 is going to be designed the same way, there is a chance that this is one of the improvements to be added to the device.
Featured photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash
