Apple AirPods

Amazon today introduced the second-generation of its Echo Buds while the Apple community awaits the introduction of AirPods 3. For the first-gen buds, Amazon only offered them in black, but this year they have added a white color… and the white case design very much borders on AirPods Pro/AirPods 3 territory.

Also just like AirPods, the new wireless charging case is an optional extra, priced $20 above the normal $119 price point. However, to be fair, that is where the similarities end, as the Echo Buds lack the stems that are currently AirPods’ trademark …

Along with Apple officially opening up its Find My app to third parties yesterday, Belkin started pre-orders for its new Soundform Freedom wireless earbuds. In addition to the Find My integration, the new earbuds have some impressive features like 36-hour battery life, in-ear design, Qi wireless charging, and more at just $99. Let’s dive in and look at the Belkin Soundform Freedom vs AirPods and AirPods Pro.

Now that Apple’s Find My program has officially launched with a range of third-party accessories, we’re left wondering what Apple’s own plans are for first-party products. AirTags have been rumored for years now, but Apple has just announced a licensed Chipolo tracker. Another accessory introduced today is a pair of black wireless earbuds from Belkin with built-in Find My tech. These obviously compete with AirPods. So what does the future hold for AirPods and AirTags?

Although there has been a lot of noise about new AirPods recently, it doesn’t seem like they are actually due for an update anytime soon. A proven leaker has corroborated a recent Kuo report that said AirPods 3 were not scheduled to enter mass production until later in the year…

Apple continues to dominate the wearables industry. According to the latest data from IDC, Apple’s wearables shipments accounted for 36% of the total industry shipments during the fourth quarter of 2020. This includes Apple Watch as well as the AirPods family of products.

Despite a flurry of leaks surrounding next-gen AirPods in the last couple of weeks, Ming-Chi Kuo this morning said that new AirPods will not enter mass production until the third quarter of 2021, which means they won’t be launching imminently.

Many leakers have suggested that Apple will hold a product event on March 23rd. However, the date is not yet confirmed by Apple and it remains unclear what product would feature. Today’s Kuo report indicates AirPods 3 are simply not ready yet.

Audio tech news site 52audio shared some new photos of Apple’s upcoming third generation AirPods. These have been leaked like crazy over the past few weeks but today’s photos are the clearest ones yet. Apple’s third generation AirPods are clearly inspired by AirPods Pro with shorter stems, a shorter charging case, and rearranged sensors.

One thing that has been debated is whether or not these new AirPods will have interchangeable ear tips. Today’s photos make it clear that they won’t and instead will have a similar universal fit to that of the current generation AirPods.

AirPods were introduced nearly 5 years ago and since then they’ve become a mainstay of Apple’s product family. They’re an essential tool that makes the Apple ecosystem infinitely better. But along the way, they’ve become less of an accessory and more of a flagship product, as evident from the top-of-the-line AirPods Max at $549. That’s no accessory. That’s a computer for your head that just so happens to talk to your other devices.

Apple makes great accessories, even for other accessories. Why doesn’t Apple make its own accessories for AirPods?

Rumors about the next generation AirPods have been around for a while now, and it seems that Apple will introduce “AirPods 3” sometime later this month. Based on leaked images, the new AirPods will feature a design that combines elements of the original AirPods with the AirPods Pro. Now we want to know if you prefer the leaked AirPods 3 design or the traditional AirPods design.

Update: LeaksApplePro has now shared images of supposed real AirPods 3 earbuds and charging case. Assuming these are legitimate photos, we should expect to see them launch for real very soon.

We’re expecting Apple to launch a new design of its entry-level AirPods before long, and what are claimed to be renders of “AirPods 3” have been shared today.

The design of the non-Pro AirPods has remained unchanged since their launch back in 2016, but it’s by now clear that this is set to change this year …

Sooner rather than later, rumors suggest that AirPods 3 are going to hit the market. Some rumors imply that the third generation of AirPods will become more “Pro,” at least design-wise. The rumors say that Apple could switch the EarPods form factor, which should fit all ears, to an in-ear approach, as we already have with the AirPods Pro. This could be a great idea, but here’s why it’s likely not.

Following the introduction of AirPods Max in December, Apple reportedly has updates on the way for the rest of its AirPods lineup in 2021. This year, we expect Apple to introduce a new version of its incredibly popular AirPods and AirPods Pro, bringing major changes to both of them. Here’s everything we know so far.

Netflix is reportedly quietly testing support for iOS 14’s new spatial audio functionality. According to a report from iPhoneSoft, citing an anonymous Netflix developer, the company has been testing spatial audio support on iPhone and iPad since December.

AirPods are widely expected to be updated this year with a new AirPods Pro-style design. Newly leaked images from 52audio this weekend claim to offer our first real-world look at the redesigned AirPods, highlighting the silicon eartips, redesigned charging case, and more.

New data is out today from Strategy Analytics on the wireless headphone market and its estimates reveal a strong 2020 for their sales on the whole as AirPods continues to dominate the category. Apple’s wireless headphones took an almost 50% share as the overall market saw an impressive 90% increase.

A few years ago, Apple officially rolled out a new Find My AirPods feature that makes it easy to find your lost AirPods using the Find My app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The AirPods implementation isn’t as robust as the “Find My iPhone,” but it can still be useful if you misplace your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max.

Read on for full instructions on how to take advantage of Find My AirPods…

AirPods market share fell from 41% to 29% in the course of nine months, according to the latest Counterpoint data, but Apple remains well ahead of its nearest competitor, and most other big names remain in the 2-5% range.

The fall in market share reflects increased competition in the market for True Wireless Stereo (TWS) headphones…

In addition to its new 2-in-1 wireless charger with MagSafe, Belkin has also announced new SoundForm truly wireless earbuds today. Most notably, these new earbuds integrate with Apple’s Find My application, making them one of the first third-party accessories to tap into Apple’s network.