Over the past two years, Apple’s AirPods, though mocked mercilessly when originally introduced, have gone on to become incredibly popular. And while this might be something of a stretch, some have even argued that Apple’s wireless earbuds have become something of a status symbol akin to the original white earbuds that shipped with the iPod back in the day.
That said, rumors surrounding a next-gen version of Apple’s AirPods have been swirling about for months now, with the latest indication being that we’ll see AirPods 2 hit store shelves sometime before June of this year. Feature wise, AirPods 2 will reportedly boast noise cancellation features, improved water resistance, and last but not least, support for hands-free “Hey Siri” functionality.
Additionally, some new rumors regarding next-gen AirPods surfaced earlier this week via the Economic Daily News. Specifically, the report relays that AirPods 2 will launch alongside AirPower, Apple’s long-delayed wireless charging pad. What’s more, the report claims that AirPods 2 will feature a new exterior coating for improved “grip” and a brand new black color option.
As far as price is concerned, AirPods 2 will reportedly be priced the same as the first incarnation. It remains unclear, though, if Apple will continue to sell the original AirPods at a discount or discontinue them altogether.
We’ve also seen rumblings that Apple has been working on a version of AirPods with a brand new design. While exciting, subsequent reports have suggested that AirPods won’t see a new redesign until 2020 at the earliest.
Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see if AirPower actually launches as rumored. Recall, AirPower was originally announced all the way back in September of 2017 but has never seen the light of day due to a myriad of technical challenges.
