Apple’s AirPods headphones – which dropped without a huge amount of interest in 2016 – hit some kind of inflection point round about 2018, and suddenly became the hot thing. (One member of the Macworld team puts this down to a wave of memes. The rest of us are too old to understand.) This was handily timed for the 2019 updates, as the second-gen and then Pro versions of the AirPods launched to a newly receptive public and sold like the proverbial hot cakes. Then came the AirPods Max in late 2020, the third generation AirPods in 2021 and the second-gen AirPods Pro in 2022.
Where next, then, for the AirPods? In this article, we discuss two possibilities: the AirPods Lite, rumored $99 AirPods, and the AirPods Pro Lite, a slightly contradictory-sounding combination of luxury and value. Let’s talk about what’s likely to happen.
AirPods Lite or AirPods Pro Lite?
There has been talk of cheaper AirPods for some years now. Initially the rumors pointed to AirPods Pro Lite, with a Digitimes report (subscription required) in February 2020 claiming such Apple earphones were coming in 2020.
The 2020 Digitimes report was based on supply-chain sources and claimed: “Apple, maintaining partnerships with supply chains in both Taiwan and China, may have its Taiwanese partners handle more production of new-generation iPad, Apple Watch, AirPod Pro Lite and iMac devices to be released later, as the epidemic has raised risks of raw materials supply shortages and shipments disruptions.”
There was little other information about what these earbuds offered, leading some to expect a cheaper version of the AirPods Pro, perhaps without active noise cancellation. These headphones have never appeared, indicating the somewhat obvious possibility that the AirPods Pro Lite were actually the AirPods (3rd generation), which eventually launched at the end of 2021.
But that’s not the last we’ve heard of the “Lite” AirPods. In early January 2023 analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research referred to the AirPods Lite. This time the Lite seems to refer to a cheaper version of the standard AirPods, with a price starting at $99.
Then a few days later analyst Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted a series of comments and predictions related to Apple’s AirPods business, including a reference to a budget set of AirPods: “including more affordable AirPods (with Apple targeting a price of $99)”.
As a concept AirPods Lite does make more sense than AirPods Pro Lite: Lite seems like a nomenclature for the entry-level, rather than somewhere in the middle.
AirPods Lite release date
We haven’t got a firm date for the AirPods Lite, however, Ming-Chi Kuo (above) seems to indicate second half or 2024 or first half of 2025 as a timeline for shipments to commence.
Most of Apple’s AirPods launches have taken place in the fall, with the exception of the introduction of the AirPods 2 in March 2019.
How much will the AirPods Lite cost?
Ming-Chi Kuo refers to $99 as the price target. This compares to the AirPods 2, which are still sold by Apple for $129/£139. It is likely that if Apple introduces the AirPods Lite it will stop selling the older AirPods as a budget offering.
Apple’s desire to offer AirPods at this price point would allow it to compete at the lower end of the market. They would effectively be the SE offering for the AirPods, similar to Apple’s Apple Watch SE and iPhone SE.
AirPods Lite specs and features
Again, we don’t know for sure, and can only speculate. But it’s reasonable to assume that features found in the standard AirPods will be missing, and the price will be lower to match.
However, we are talking 2025, potentially, by which time the standard AirPods may have features that we currently find in the AirPods Pro, while the AirPods Pro may have features we aren’t aware of yet.
If you’re keen to hear the latest rumours about Apple’s 2023 plans, the best place to start is our big yearly roundup: New Apple products predictions 2023.
Those interested in the current range should take a look at our roundup of the best AirPods deals for the latest bargains.
