Apple is reportedly working on a new, lower-priced version of its popular AirPods earbuds called “AirPods Lite,” according to analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong Intl Tech Research. The move comes as demand for AirPods is expected to drop from 73 million units in 2022 to 63 million in 2023, due in part to “soft AirPods 3 demand” and the possibility that Apple won’t release any new AirPods this year.
While AirPods have become wildly popular and have helped solidify Apple’s position as a leader in the personal audio market, they are not exactly cheap. In an effort to compete with cheaper wireless earbuds on the market, Apple is rumored to be developing the “AirPods Lite.” It’s unclear at this time what features the “AirPods Lite” will have, but Pu describes them as a “lower priced product” meant to compete with non-Apple earbuds.
Currently, Apple offers four different models of AirPods, ranging from the second-generation AirPods to the advanced AirPods Max. The current generation of AirPods, the AirPods 3, costs $169, while the second generation AirPods 2 is available for $129. It’s possible that the “AirPods Lite” will be priced lower than $129, or that Apple may simply reduce the price of the AirPods 2 even further. For example, the company could potentially reduce the price of the AirPods 2 to $99 in order to make them more competitive in the budget earbud market.
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(Via 9To5Google)
