A recent Bloomberg article indicates that Apple is also planning to update its AirPods Pro. We've heard reports that Apple's AirPods 3 will arrive in the first half of 2021.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu, citing individuals familiar with the company 's plans, say that both third-generation AirPods and second-gen AirPods Pro are currently in the works. Apple is also reportedly still working on over-ear headphones and has weighed the introduction of a mid-range HomePod speaker that would be priced between the first model and the HomePod mini that made its debut on October 13 during the introduction of Apple's iPhone 12.
The new AirPods will follow the design of the AirPods Pro, with a shorter stem and replaceable ear tips, according to the article. Apple would not add any high-end features including noise cancellation to keep the regular AirPods relatively affordable, but better battery life could be on the table for the revamped earbuds.
Prototypes for the new AirPods Pro are said to have "a more rounded shape that fills more of the [ear] of an user," and Bloomberg contrasts the current version with that of Galaxy Buds from Samsung, Echo Buds from Amazon, and Pixel Buds from Google, all of which fit almost entirely within the ear of the consumer.
When it comes to incorporating noise cancellation, wireless antennas, and microphones into the new design, Apple is currently struggling, which could influence the look of the product by the time it releases. In the first half of 2021, Apple discussed releasing the AirPods 3, with the next Pro probably coming later.