Its barely been a year since Apple launched the upgraded AirPods (2019), but there are already murmurs that the Apple AirPods 3 could come crashing onto the true wireless earbuds scene in 2020.Since the original Apple AirPods launched in 2016, the true wireless earbuds have dominated the headphones market, becoming an icon of the companys slick design customs and user-friendly technologies.They werent perfect though and in 2019, the upgraded AirPods (or AirPods 2, if you will) were furnished with Apples H1 chip, which brought with it faster pairing times, longer battery, and a cool hands-free Hey Siri feature.These second-gen true wireless earbuds were a definite improvement upon their predecessors but they were still easily eclipsed by the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM3, the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1, and Apples own AirPods Pro in 2019.While we havent heard any confirmation from Apple that it will be launching the AirPods 3 this year, weve still had plenty of time to come up with a wish list of all the features wed want to see from the companys next true wireless earbuds.Better sound than the AirPods 2The AirPods (2019) were an improvement upon their predecessors in terms of connectivity, but the sound remained exactly the same as the originals and that audio technology is now four years old.They have a lively, powerful presentation, although they can sound slightly harsh when it comes to higher-frequency sounds, and they arent the bassiest earbuds on the market.Since the launch of the original AirPods, the sound quality offered by true wireless earbuds has soared; just look at the Sony WF-1000XM3 or the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1.Theres no reason why Apple couldnt take a cue from these companies and really develop the sound of their earbuds, with more accurately-tuned drivers for improved bass response and rolled-off trebles.Adjustable eartipsWhile we did respect Apples refusal to amend the design of the AirPods for a time we think its time that it furnished the true wireless earbuds with adjustable eartips, just like it has with the AirPods Pro.Why? Well aside from catering to more ear-sizes, silicone or foam eartips provide a better seal, and therefore superior noise isolation, and passive noise-reduction making your music sound better, while simultaneously preventing the entire world from earwigging on your favorite songs.The AirPods (2019) (Image credit: Future)Better battery lifeTrue wireless earbuds like the Lypertek Tevi have shown that cutting the cord doesnt have to mean sacrificing your battery life and theres really no need for the AirPods to only be offering a measly five hours of playback in 2020.Sure, the charging case offers a further 20 hours of battery, but that number is far surpassed by lots of models on the market these days and many of them are far cheaper, too.Bluetooth 5 and aptX HD supportAgain, Apple needs to get with the times in this respect Bluetooth 4.2 is positively dated these days, with most new wireless headphones coming with support for the latest wireless transmission standard, Bluetooth 5 (and some, like the new Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 even support Bluetooth 5.1).Bluetooth 5 brings longer pairing distances, more reliable wireless connectivity, and more efficient power usage, which means headphones that support it come with longer battery lives.Meanwhile, aptX HD support would allow for wireless streaming of Hi-Res Audio codecs at 24-bit/48kHz which Qualcomm claims makes for better-than-CD quality.The AirPods (2019) (Image credit: Future)What about the AirPods Pro Lite?Before we see the AirPods 3, were expecting the release of the so-called AirPods Pro Lite, an entry-level version of the noise-cancelling AirPods Pro.November 2019 brought us the AirPods Pro, which came with active noise cancellation, a better fit, and superior audio quality.
Despite no official confirmation from Apple, and very hazy details on the earbuds, we even heard reports on how the current coronavirus outbreak will stall production on the AirPods Pro Lite and then later reports disparaging these claims.Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes (via MacRumors) reported that production on these earbuds will start at the end of Q2 this year, which suggests that Apple will start making the AirPods Pro Lite around the end of March / beginning of April.That means we could hear an announcement about the AirPods Pro Lite at Apples annual March event after all, thats when the upgraded AirPods were launched in 2019, alongside Apple Arcade and Apple TV Plus.Otherwise? We could be waiting until WWDC 2020 in June, which we now know will be an online-only event.In the meantime, dont miss our wishlist of all the things were hoping to see from the AirPods Pro Lite.The next Apple headphones could be an over-ear model like the Beats Studio 3 (pictured).
(Image credit: TheIndianSubcontinent)Will the AirPods 3 be over-ear headphones?Its possible that the next Apple headphones we see in 2020 will be a pair of over-ear cans but we dont think theyll be called the AirPods 3.Instead, its rumored that the first over-ear Apple headphones will be called the AirPods X, after a recent Target product listing went live, accidentally leaking the rumored Apple headphones, and revealing a $399 (about 300 / AU$699) price tag.According to a report by respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who correctly predicted the release of the upgraded Apple AirPods and the AirPods Pro in 2019, the wireless headphones will launch alongside a number of new products in the first half of 2020.Like the AirPods Pro Lite, that means we could see the over-ear Apple headphones anytime between now and June though rumors of both new models are still to be confirmed by the tech giant.Whether we see the AirPods 3, the AirPods Pro Lite, or the AirPods X first in 2020 remains to be seen either way, we think its going to be a big year for Apple headphones.5cQxqtVeTsZYnVXPLZPofB.jpg?#