Apple is said to be developing a “Lite” version of the AirPods to compete with low-cost wireless earphones on the market.
According to AppleInsider, despite their popularity, AirPods are not cheap headphones compared to the entire wireless headphone market. For example, AirPods 2 start at $129, while AirPods 3 start at $169. This leads to some difficulties for buyers. Therefore, analysts believe that Apple may be preparing to add a cheaper phone model to its product line.
In a note released by 9to5Mac, analyst Jeff Pu suggested that Apple will release a “lower-priced product” as a means to compete in the low-cost wireless headphone market, which is particularly important. important as demand for AirPods is expected to decline next year.
In 2022, Apple sold 73 million AirPods, but Pu thinks that number could drop to 63 million this year. According to him, this is due to weak demand for AirPods 3 and because Apple may not release new AirPods in 2023.
It is not yet clear what features or prices will be applied to AirPods Lite when the product launches. Besides AirPods Lite, Apple may also reduce the price of AirPods 2 again to increase purchasing power.
An interesting detail is that previous leaks suggested that Apple may be developing AirPods Pro Lite – a product designed to fill the gap between AirPods and AirPods Pro. However, the rumors related to this product began to fade in late 2020. In September 2022, Apple released the second generation AirPods Pro with improved sound quality, while keeping the same design. of the predecessor model.