According to Ming-Chi Kuo’s most recent investor report, Apple is developing $99 AirPods. The company will release the budget-friendly earbuds in the second half of 2024, though they may be postponed even further until the first part of 2025. The second-generation AirPods Max, Apple’s wireless over-the-ear headphones, will be released around the same time.
According to Kuo, the Cupertino team is in the midst of switching vendors for the assembly of AirPods. Goertek will be replaced by a Foxconn subsidiary called Hon Teng (FIT), which will result in “substantial benefits” for the business. Additionally, Luxshare ICT and it will collaborate on the assembly process for the production of the AirPods Max.
The 2nd generation AirPods are now the most cost-effective, retailing for £139/$129/€159. Apple will probably remove some features, such the Apple H1 chip, to lower the price. Another option is to rebrand the AirPods under a new name, much like Apple did with its old iPhone models to create the iPhone SE 2nd generation.
