Apple is never far from the heart of the tech industry’s swirling rumor mill, so it’s no surprise that there are constant whispers about its plans for a budget version of its widely popular AirPods earbuds. While Apple hasn’t announced anything yet, a cheaper version of the AirPods dubbed the “AirPods Lite” could be on the way if the tech giant decides they would add value to its iconic earbuds. Indeed, those little white pods could be even more ubiquitous in our streets!
We’ve been largely impressed with the AirPods line so far – the ‘standard’ AirPods 3 got a whopping four stars and the premium AirPods Pro 2 got all five, while the five-star AirPods Max over-ears were arguably the best . most impressive of the lot. So a more budget member of the family would be a welcome addition not only to Apple fans who find the current AirPods expensive, but perhaps those looking to buy cheaper backup pairs or even AirPods for their kids.
Details of the (currently hypothetical) AirPods Lite remain little more than shadows in the mist, but we’ve gathered every possible rumor and speculation from around the cybersphere to paint a more coherent picture of how they might fit into the AirPods. queue up…
Apple AirPods Lite: release date rumours
It’s still early days when it comes to AirPods Lite release date rumors, but there are snippets of information out there, albeit in vague, scattered forms. An early January report from analyst Jeff Pu claimed that Apple is currently working on an inexpensive pair of earbuds, a model he dubbed the “AirPods Lite.”
Inveterate Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has only fanned these flames, predicting that the next generation of AirPods would ship in the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025.
Being even more specific with release dates at this stage is somewhat impossible, but given that Apple often launches its AirPods in the last months of the year, the second half of 2024 is more likely. Of course, that means there are no manufacturing issues or similarly tricky speed bumps for Apple to navigate that could delay the release.
We expect more release rumors to surface this year from the top Apple analysts and readers on the web.
Apple AirPods Lite: price predictions
Prices are again nothing but pure guesses at this stage and based mainly on forecasts from the US, but industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo does have a specific number in mind. Kuo claims Apple plans to pursue a $99 price point for the AirPods Lite, undercutting the current cheapest AirPods 2 model (as of 2019) by $29. However, some speculate that Apple could introduce a new, cheap pair of AirPods for a slightly higher price and instead lower the price of the standard AirPods 3 to make it a more budget-friendly option.
Either way, it’s unlikely Apple will have three pairs of ‘standard’ AirPods in its lineup, so we’re betting that the arrival of new cheap AirPods will discontinue the AirPods 2 and sit alongside the AirPods 3 and Pro only.
For Apple to offer a more wallet-friendly alternative, a serious cut from the current $129 benchmark feels like the most likely outcome, while looking at competing products in the budget range would likely see the tech giant hovering around $100. which would translate to around £80 / AU$150.
Apple AirPods Lite: design
We can be pretty sure the AirPods Lite will be in-ear headphones, almost certainly daubed with the company’s now-iconic white paint and most likely with stem designs.
What we would most logically expect is a similar design to the proposed model’s cousins, the AirPods3 – that is, short listening stems, an unobtrusive ear-tip configuration, and hopefully some touch controls to skip tracks and change volume on the fly. They were themselves an update of the longer-stem design and dual-tap controls of the AirPods 2, which Apple has now likely moved away from for future models.
The excellent pro 2 flagship model of the AirPods had interchangeable silicone tips depending on the size of the wearer’s earbuds, something that wasn’t present with the AirPods 3. Our guess at this cheaper end of the price spectrum is that you’re more likely to get a non-adjustable tip than interchangeable, even if this unchanging design gives your inner ear cartilage a potentially rougher time.
Perhaps to cut costs (and help differentiate the models), Apple will also do away with touch altogether on a cheaper pod.
Apple AirPods Lite: features
At this rumored price point, the most likely competitors would be the AirPods Lite Sony WF-C500 and the Panasonic RZ-S500W. These leading wireless budget earbuds retail for around £89 / $79 / AU$149 and £100 / $150 / AU$219 respectively and can be used here as a reference to determine what we already have at this budget price and therefore gauge what we might hope to expect from new rival AirPods.
Of course you cannot expect too much from such affordable products. But the excellent Sony WF-C500 has IPX4 waterproofing, Bluetooth 5.0 and 20 hours of battery life, so we’d expect the proposed AirPods Lite to pack similar specs at this price point, if not better. The AirPods 2 have a battery life of 24 hours, so Apple is unlikely to drop below that figure. By comparison, the AirPods 3 offer 30 hours.
However, we wouldn’t expect AirPods 3-level features like spatial audio support and wireless charging. After all, if a new pair were to undercut the AirPods 3, Apple would have to differentiate the two models in some way. Due to the omission of such features, the AirPods Lite may also have an older, less powerful Apple chip.
Now the brilliant Panasonic RZ-S500W offers noise canceling tech, but that’s a very rare feature for earbuds at their price point, often saved for models around and above £150 / $200 / AU$300. Since the AirPods 3 don’t even have ANC – it’s a feature exclusive to the AirPods Pro models – we can safely say that cheaper AirPods wouldn’t have it either.
Apple AirPods Lite: sound quality
This, in reality, is still the one that matters most. After all, no amount of fancy aesthetics and smart functionality options can mask poor sound quality, an Apple label, or no Apple label.
Frankly, we’re impressed with the sound quality of Apple’s recent line of AirPods. The AirPods 3 deliver tonally balanced and decently detailed sound (even if it’s not quite as insightful as the best for their price), and we considered the Pro 2 model a five-star class leader in the sound quality department. Honestly, the sound quality of the AirPods 3 in a more budget model wouldn’t be far off what we can expect from a $99 pair these days, though again this could be one of the areas where Apple chooses to differentiate the models. Fingers crossed it’s not!
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