New noise-cancelling 'AirPods 3' rumored for end of 2019

Posted:
in General Discussion
Reports from the supply chain suggest that Apple may release a third generation of AirPods with noise cancellation before the end of 2019.




Despite waiting over two years between the original AirPods and 2019's AirPods 2, Apple is believed to be preparing a further generation of the wireless headphones for release later in 2019. The major new feature of "AirPods 3" is said to be noise cancellation.

According to DigiTimes, industry sources are reporting that the "AirPods 3" will be brought forward from their previously-rumored 2020 launch date.

"To meet challenges from rivals, Apple and its supply chain partners are looking to raise the bar by adding new features to AirPods 3," says DigiTimes, quoting unnamed sources, "including the noise cancellation function."

These sources also say that noise cancellation will affect battery life, and offsetting that it is particularly difficult to achieve in devices as small as AirPods. "On the one hand, semiconductor devices can hardly work without suffering electromagnetic disturbance," quotes DigiTimes, and on the other hand how the structural design of the noise forward feedback microphone can be done well to achieve harmonious operation with other devices is a great challenge for designers and assemblers."

Those assemblers are claimed to be the same ones currently making AirPods.

Luxshare was recently reported to be involved in the bi-directional Qi charging that's is predicted to allow the 2019 iPhone refresh to charge other devices wirelessly.

Rumors of noise cancellation do not preclude the previously rumored extra health features coming to AirPods 3, however they may be planned for some later generation.

DigiTimes is a good source for the larger scope of the supply chain. It is less accurate involving Apple's specific product plans, or feature sets.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
  • Reply 2 of 17
    AF_HittAF_Hitt Posts: 143member
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Apple used to make noise isolating wired buds and the regular wired EarPods at the same time, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have two models of AirPods too.
    airnerd
  • Reply 3 of 17
    AF_Hitt said:
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Apple used to make noise isolating wired buds and the regular wired EarPods at the same time, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have two models of AirPods too.
    When was this. Don’t remember this. 
  • Reply 4 of 17
    AF_Hitt said:
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Apple used to make noise isolating wired buds and the regular wired EarPods at the same time, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have two models of AirPods too.
    When was this. Don’t remember this. 
    AF_Hitt is referencing the regular EarPods and the In-Ear Headphones.  Apple still sells both.  Notice that Hitt said "noise isolating", not noise cancelling.  In-Ears, with silicone or foam, offer natural noise isolation because they close off the ear canal.  They don't offer noise cancellation.  If Apple does noise cancellation on AirPods and wants to keep the same basic shape, I'd assume the model would be based on the In-Ear Headphones.


    n2itivguy
  • Reply 5 of 17
    I'm not sure why I don't buy this story!  I'm gonna stick my neck out and say - Fat Chance! Not this year.
  • Reply 6 of 17
    airnerdairnerd Posts: 693member
    About 23 days too late for a story like this.  Just don't see Apple all of a sudden throwing a product out early, no matter how feasible supply chain may say it is.  
  • Reply 7 of 17
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    AF_Hitt said:
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Apple used to make noise isolating wired buds and the regular wired EarPods at the same time, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have two models of AirPods too.
    When was this. Don’t remember this. 
    AF_Hitt is referencing the regular EarPods and the In-Ear Headphones.  Apple still sells both.  Notice that Hitt said "noise isolating", not noise cancelling.  In-Ears, with silicone or foam, offer natural noise isolation because they close off the ear canal.  They don't offer noise cancellation.  If Apple does noise cancellation on AirPods and wants to keep the same basic shape, I'd assume the model would be based on the In-Ear Headphones.
    I have those. They're still my most comfortable in-ear phones. I wouldn't call them EarPods, though. If Apple can make in-ear AirPod-like phones then I'm sold.
    edited April 2019
  • Reply 8 of 17
    Soli said:
    AF_Hitt said:
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Apple used to make noise isolating wired buds and the regular wired EarPods at the same time, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have two models of AirPods too.
    When was this. Don’t remember this. 
    AF_Hitt is referencing the regular EarPods and the In-Ear Headphones.  Apple still sells both.  Notice that Hitt said "noise isolating", not noise cancelling.  In-Ears, with silicone or foam, offer natural noise isolation because they close off the ear canal.  They don't offer noise cancellation.  If Apple does noise cancellation on AirPods and wants to keep the same basic shape, I'd assume the model would be based on the In-Ear Headphones.
    I have those. They're still my most comfortable in-ear phones. I wouldn't call them EarPods, though. If Apple can make in-ear AirPod-like phones then I'm sold.
    All of my buds are either silicone or comply foam.  AirPods don't fit.  I have said all along an AirPod based on the In-Ear Headphones could easily get into my rotation.  Til then I'm sticking with my JE 65t's for truly wireless and JayBird X3's for wired-wireless.  Although, I am tempted by the Samsung Buds since they are smaller and lighter than my Jabra Elites.   PowerBeats Pro, once they go through their inevitable depreciation phase, might be on order as well.
  • Reply 9 of 17
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,284member
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Not necessarily. If the noise cancellation tech is all electronic, just the internal H1 chip would need to be updated.
    Noise cancelling would be the reason I upgraded my AirPods.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    mike1 said:
    entropys said:
    It would have to be a completely different design to have noise cancelation. Ego, they are not airpods. And why not beats?
    Not necessarily. If the noise cancellation tech is all electronic, just the internal H1 chip would need to be updated.
    Noise cancelling would be the reason I upgraded my AirPods.
    Active noise cancellation is all electronic but it still heavily depends on a sound seal.  NC tech uses microphones to algorithmically cancel outside noise.  The mics can't account for the sound bleed around the edges of the AirPods.  An NC model based on Apple In-Ear Headphones could provide the sound seal.  
    n2itivguy
  • Reply 11 of 17
    davgregdavgreg Posts: 1,037member
    2 feature requests:
    1- a color other than white.
    2- a modular battery that can be replaced as it wears out. This should not be that hard to do.

  • Reply 12 of 17
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,877member
    Somewhat related, when I upgraded to the second-gen I sold my original APs on eBay, figured I’d get fifty bucks maybe to help offset the cost of a new pair. Even describing them as originals and with running down batteries, with one in particular needing replacement, people still bid them up to...$100. Making it cheaper to buy a new pair than buy a replacement pod with my set. Amazing. 
    n2itivguy
  • Reply 13 of 17
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,958member
    Would trade any new feature for a tacky coating that grips the skin in my ear. 
  • Reply 14 of 17
    lostkiwilostkiwi Posts: 639member
    Sounds fishy to me. 
    I doubt that Apple would bring AirPods 3 early an entire year. 
    Perhaps one or two competitors in this space are seeding stories hoping to stall Apple’s growth in this segment.
    It hints at “don’t buy AirPods 2 now, just wait a few months until the 3 comes out. While you are waiting, have you considered the new Samesung HairPods 2, half the price of Apple?..”
    llama
  • Reply 15 of 17
    If Apple simply added a pair of ear gels to their AirPods that went INSIDE the ear, instead of relying on a device that merely sits AT the ear, that would be half the battle.  I traded in my original AirPods for a pair of Jabra Elite's just because an ear gel inside the ear shuts down most outside noise and creates a much better sound.
  • Reply 16 of 17
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    I’m not a fan on in-ear headphones for comfort and potential hearing damage issues. But I do find in a number of instances, schlepping the large over-ear, wireless, noise-cancelling headphones I currently use when wanting to listen to music on the move, to be impractical. So small compact AirPod 3s with noise-cancellation built-in (mitigating somewhat, hearing damage issues, by allowing the use of lower volume levels) a compelling proposition. I might just make the jump, once they become available.
    edited April 2019
  • Reply 17 of 17
    The new AirPods are just an update, Apple could easily put out a Pro version by years end.

    The current design doesn’t have the space/battery requirements for health sensors, Siri, and noise cancellation.  I’m hoping for noise cancellation to be added and a black/space grey color.
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