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At this point, it is already apparent that Apple is not planning on launching the AirPods Pro 2 this year. While there have been several reports that its launch was moved to 2022, a new leak may have narrowed it down to sometime in the third quarter.
AirPods Pro 2 possible release date
Leaker FronTron has updated their report, which previously stated that the AirPods Pro 2 would be released in the second quarter of 2022. In a recent tweet, FronTron noted that the product’s release timeline was “changed” to the third quarter of next year.
Apple does not discuss release timelines for unannounced products. But reliable sources like analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman have previously reported that the AirPods Pro 2 was initially planned to enter the market this year. For reasons that may never be revealed to the public, they both updated their reports earlier this year to suggest the next-generation wireless earbuds from Apple are currently slated to launch sometime in 2022.
A release date in the third quarter of the year could mean the AirPods Pro 2 is one of the products to be announced during one of Apple’s fall launch events. But considering how much has changed with Apple’s AirPods plans over the last year and with the ongoing supply chain issues, tech fans should still take this with a grain of salt.
AirPods Pro 2: What changes to expect
Not much has been reported about the AirPods Pro 2 features, technical specifications, and design. But Gurman previously mentioned that Apple “tested” a new design with a smaller form factor that completely removes the earbuds’ stems.
If Apple were to choose a stemless design for the AirPods Pro 2, it could be one of the biggest changes in the wireless earbuds. In all AirPods models, the stem is where Apple has placed sensors for touch controls to navigate playback, phone call, active noise cancellation, and transparency mode.
Meanwhile, the improvements in AirPods 3 might also give Apple fans an idea of the changes to expect on the AirPods Pro 2. The earbuds that launched last month have an improved battery life, which is one of the likely changes for the next AirPods Pro. The AirPods 3 also hints at active noise cancellation and transparency mode being kept as exclusive features for the Pro line of the Apple-branded earbuds.
Photo by Kreeson Naraidoo on Unsplash
