Apple's most basic AirPods models still use the age-old Lightning port for charging, even after the company finally moved the AirPods Pro over to a USB-C port in 2023. Thankfully, the ancient connector seems to finally be on the way out, with leaks saying that there will be two new AirPods models coming in this fall.
These models will be separate from the AirPods Pro, which will likely get its own redesign next year. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will release two different models for this fourth-generation series of AirPods. Their upgrades will be both inside and out. Both models will come with a USB-C port for charging, but the reporter says they'll also get a new design, although he didn't give any substantial details about what it'll look like.
Each model will have a different price point, with the lower-end one focusing on basic wireless functionality. The higher-priced version will include active noise cancellation, normally reserved for the Pro model, but spatial audio might be included in both models. The new AirPods will also get the H2 chip from the current AirPods Pro model.
The more budget-friendly model will probably see Apple finally phasing out the second-generation AirPods, which released all the way back in 2019 and currently sell for $129. The third-generation AirPods, Apple's most recent basic AirPods model, cost $179.
Another Apple leaker with a strong track record, Ming-Chi Kuo, has previously said that the company might integrate camera sensors into future AirPods to improve spacial computing and in-air gestures, although Gurman's update makes no mention of them. Gurman also previously reported that Apple will likely release a new AirPods Max model with USB-C and new color options later this year, but again, his most recent newsletter did not touch on other upgrades or when we might see the new model.
