Report: AirPods ‘Lite’ will help Apple compete with sub-$100 earbuds

Apple ’s lowest - priced AirPods are the2nd - generation entranceway - level modelfrom 2019 , but for a lot of mass , $ 129 for a pair of old earbuds is too outrageous , especially since there are so manydecent alternativesthat cost under $ 100 . accord to a new report , however , that could change soon .

Analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research ( via 9to5Mac ) reports that Apple is exploring a new AirPods model that will compete at the lower end of the market . Pu exact that Apple is developing “ AirPods Lite , ” which would be the lowest - price product so far . No inside information are bring home the bacon as to the excogitation or lineament set of the AirPods Lite , but they would presumptively lack the higher - goal feature film found in the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 .

In its recent past and current intersection offerings , Apple stays by from what could be considered the “ low - ending ” of a production ’s grocery . However , Pu has found through his industry sources that AirPods requirement will drop this year to 63 million units ship , down from 73 million last year . Pu also describe that Apple has no plans to update any of the current AirPods , so the troupe could discharge the AirPods Lite to stimulate interest .

Apple in reality bid a sub-$100 specify of earbuds , but they ’re not AirPods – the $ 70Beats Flexis offered through the Apple - owned Beats brand . Beats Flex connects wirelessly to the audio germ , but a cable connects the two earbuds .

Apple currently has four AirPods model : the2nd coevals AirPods($129 ) , the3rd multiplication AirPods($179 ) , the2nd coevals AirPods Pro($249 ) , and theAirPods Max($549 ) . The price stated here are Apple ’s suggest retail cost and AirPods often go on sale at third - party retail merchant sometimes for substantial deliverance . However , Apple itself never discounts its products so shoppers at Apple.com or the Apple Store will pay the full MSRP .

Back when the iPod was in its heyday , Apple eject several low - end model , including the iPod shuffling and iPod nano , to reach more client . Apple was rumored to launch aniPhone Liteback in 2013 , but that simulation was release as theiPhone 5cinstead .

AirPods (2nd-generation)