Released in October 2019, we saw the first generation of AirPods Pro which took Apple users by a storm. With its noise cancellation features, customised fit and offered a tweaked design over the original AirPods.
AirPods Pro 2 – rumoured to be Apple's next wireless earbuds – are tipped for a premium design and improved noise-cancelling technology. AirPods Pro 2 were rumoured to launch in April 2021, but we unfortunately did not see the release and at the moment, no current date has been confirmed.
TFI Securities analyst and Apple enthusiast, Ming-Chi Kuo has leaked that the next AirPods Pro will enter mass production and launch – in the "second half of 2022". So hopefully, we expect this release sooner rather than later.
Designs?
Some design cues going around in the Apple rumour mill suggested that the new AirPods Pro 2 will shift completely from how we see them and adopt the stemless models seen in the Samsung Galaxy buds. However, reports by Bloomberg suggest that executing this type of design with the current technical features of the AirPods may prove to be more challenging than expected so we may still see the same design in the future.
Features?
Like all other Apple product upgrades, we expect to see a possible new H2 chip which will come with new benefits like sound quality, latency, active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, features powered by Siri, and more (source: MacRumours).
One popular feature us Apple users love is the noise cancellation so it would be expected to see a more dominance over this feature. As seen on the Bose Earbuds, granular noise cancellation provides the user with more control rather than just being on and off on the AirPods Pro.
Elements like disabling active noise cancellation when using voice recognition or a code word could skyrocket the demand for the AirPods Pro. Even providing a skin-detect sensor for more accurate in-ear detection compared to the dual optical sensors in the original AirPods Pro will allow users to enjoy a more seamless experience when transitioning from actively using their AirPods to conversing in real life.
One characteristic that has been said to almost be a sure thing is Apple retaining its lightning port on the charging case despite the much-requested USB-C feature as we see a lot of devices exhibiting these days.
New fitness elements for the AirPods 2 could be something to anticipate which will allow Apple watch users to have a better integration between their Apple devices. In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu stated that the second-generation AirPods Pro would include "updated motion sensors with a focus on fitness tracking," but no further details were provided on how these features would be consolidated. Some have even speculated that the new generation of AirPods could potentially monitor blood oxygen levels as seen in the 2020 Apple Watch Series 6, but this may be something to see in the distant future.
Price?
We all know Apple products do not come with a discounted price tag and especially with the current popularity of the AirPods Pro Max, we can expect our pockets to be empty once the AirPods Pro 2 are released.Pricing is also yet to be confirmed, but a previous leak has said they'll cost $249, the same price as the original AirPods Pro at launch.
We are excited to see which features Apple will include on their final production of the AirPods Pro 2 and what features we may not have expected.
What would you like to see incorporated in the next generation of AirPods? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram!
