Twitter tipster says Apple’s supply chain leaks third quarter 2022 release of AirPods Pro 2
Picture allegedly shows the Apple AirPods Pro 2
The global chip shortage and issues with the supply chain could be behind the change in the leaked release date. But before you circle your calendar, AppleInsider did point out that the tipster’s track record for passing along accurate leaks is “limited.” As a result, this tip should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.
Some questioned why the leaked images show a speaker on the bottom of the charging case, but again, there is a legitimate reason for it. Supposedly, iOS 16 will add “Find My…” support for both the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds and the charging case. The speaker on the bottom of the charging case will play a sound to help the user find a missing case.
Apple still has the number one market share in the true wireless earbuds industry
Apple still leads the TWS market in market share although its slice of the global true wireless market declined from 35% to 20% on an annual basis during the second quarter of 2021. By volume, Xiaomi was second thanks to its lower priced earbuds, followed by Samsung. The latter two manufacturers increased their second quarter market shares on a year-over-year basis.
The third quarter runs from July 1st through September 30th (which is the last day of that month) giving Apple 92 days to make the leak a legitimate one. Apple introduced the AirPods 3 on October 18th and the lineup now starts with the $129 AirPods 2 followed by the new $179 AirPods 3, the $249 AirPods Pro, and the $549 over-ear AirPods Max.
In case you are curious, the first-generation Apple AirPods was released on December 20, 2016.
