8 rumors about the AirPods from 2021

A new design, support for Spatial Audio and Apple Music HiFi and much more: the AirPods 3 promise to be a big step forward. We expect this.

AirPods 3 expectations

The first AirPods received a minor upgrade in 2019. The AirPods 2 can handle “Hey Siri” and the charging case can charge wirelessly.

The really big improvements only came with the AirPods Pro, when, for example, the sound quality improved considerably. The rumors now indicate that the new AirPods will look more like the Pro earbuds. These are our AirPods 3 expectations.

1. A new design similar to the AirPods Pro

According to the well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the AirPods 3 will have a completely different design than their predecessors. The earbuds would follow the design of the AirPods Pro. That means shorter stems that protrude from your ears and a different fit than we are used to from the regular AirPods. The charging case will also be given a new look to support this new design.

According to Kuo, the case of the AirPods 3 will receive the same ‘System in Package’ technology, making it more compact and has the same features as the rechargeable case of the AirPods Pro. According to Kuo, the AirPods 3 just continue to have the characteristic ‘stem’ to easily remove them from your ears.

Numerous renders and photos have already been leaked that show the new design of the earplugs. That makes it almost certain that the new AirPods will look very different from their predecessor.

2. Support for Spatial Audio

Although the regular AirPods will not get noise cancellation like the AirPods Pro in 2021, Apple would equip them with Spatial Audio. This function is designed to enable surround sound.

Apple’s audio technology makes it seem like the sound is playing around you. Videos and apps that support it can mimic audio in such a way that audio sounds far away or close, or comes from a specific direction. Slowly but surely, more apps support Spatial Audio, such as Netflix which has recently started a test.

3. No Lossless Audio

Apple recently unveiled Apple Music with Lossless Audio. The new version of the music service that allows music in higher quality. To take advantage of this, you need a device that supports this sound quality. Unfortunately, AirPods do not support Lossless Audio. The third generation will probably not do that either.

4. Improved water resistance

AirPods are popular earplugs for sports, because they don’t get in the way when you are actively moving. The problem is, they aren’t as waterproof as some competitive sports earbuds. That is difficult, for example when you sweat a lot.

Hopefully, Apple will improve the waterproofing, so that the earbuds are more resistant to water and sweat. This is also useful for people who go for a run in the rain.

The AirPods Pro are now sweat and water resistant, a feature that we may see with the AirPods 3, especially now that they largely take over the design. By the way, don’t expect to be able to jump into the pool with the Apple earbuds in. Unfortunately, the water resistance is not that good.

5. Improved fit thanks to silicone earplugs

Another function that the AirPods 3 borrow from the AirPods Pro are the silicone earplugs. To improve the fit, the regular AirPods would also come with multiple sizes of caps. Depending on the shape of your ear cup, you can then choose one that fits well.

You can choose the right earplugs with the fitting function that the AirPods Pro introduced. Your iPhone plays a sound and you can test how well they fit in your ears in the meantime. This is how this built-in fit test works.

6. Built-in health sensors

Tech companies are increasingly concerned with health, as is Apple (for example with the Apple Watch 6). Multiple patents show that the Cupertino company plans to incorporate multiple health sensors into its earplugs.

For example, your ear cup is an excellent place to measure your heart rate. This information can then be passed on to your iPhone. Health sensors in the AirPods are especially useful for people who don’t have an Apple Watch, because Apple’s watch already has some sensors, such as a heart rate monitor.

We haven’t heard about this feature for a while, so we’re curious if it will actually become part of the AirPods 3.

7. About the same price as the AirPods 2

According to the most recent rumors, Apple would keep roughly the same price of about $ 150. Converted, that would mean that they appear in the Netherlands for 170 euros.

That would make them slightly cheaper than the second-generation AirPods, which now still cost $ 159 without a wireless charging case. However, this is only a rumor, which makes it difficult to estimate how accurate this is.

8. Unveiling in May 2021

When will the AirPods 3 come out? Initially it was thought that the company would present the new AirPods at the first Apple event in 2021, but this did not happen. It now seems that the new AirPods will therefore not be presented at an Apple event, but with a press release. That could theoretically happen at any time, but the rumors point to a disclosure in the course of May.

Apple has released new AirPods several times at the beginning of the year, so we wouldn’t be surprised if these rumors turn out to be true. Keep iPhoned so keep an eye out, because here you will be the first to read when Apple officially unveils the long-awaited earplugs.

Read all about AirPods on iPhone

Currently you can buy two types of AirPods. In addition to the AirPods 2, the company also sells the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro. The latter came out at the end of 2019 and has been improved in all areas and is packed with smart and useful features, such as a built-in fit test and multiple sound modes.

Read all about our experiences in the extensive AirPods Max review, or watch the video review below. You can stay informed about the AirPods 3 via the iPhoned app, our newsletter or the website.