Apple is thought to be working on a cheaper model of AirPods in order to better compete at the lower end of the wireless earbuds market.
As 9To5Mac reports(Opens in a new window), analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research has been told by his industry sources that Apple is planning an AirPods Lite model to act as an entry-level option. Think of it as Apple’s earbuds equivalent of the iPhone SE.
As to why Apple is considering this, it’s thought to be in response to low demand for 3rd-generation AirPods, and overall shipments of the earbuds are expected to drop by 10 million units this year (63 million down from 73 million in 2022). Combine that with no signs of a 4th generation of AirPods appearing anytime soon, and Apple clearly wants/needs a desirable new product it can push.
There are currently four models of the AirPods available, starting with the $129 AirPods (2nd generation), followed by the $179 AirPods (3nd generation), $249 AirPods Pro (2nd generation), and the high-end $549 AirPods Max headphones. An AirPods Lite model would therefore need to cost less than $129, with $99 seeming like the most attractive price point to hit.
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It’s unclear which features would be cut or paired back when developing the Lite model, but as 9To5Mac points out, Apple could simply choose to rename the AirPods (2nd generation) and drop the price by $30.
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