Taiwanese supplier ASE Technology has begun production of optical sensors for the new generation of AirPods that will be launched in the third quarter of 2021, according to industry sources quoted in a payment statement DigiTimes preview of the story today.
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The full report has not yet been released, so there are no further details at this time, but the deadline is aligned with information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who in early ‘this month he claimed that third-generation AirPods would go into mass production in the third quarter of the year. The quarter runs from July to September.
Kuo previously said that third-generation AirPods would be launched in the first half of 2021, and a series of leaked photos and images certainly made it look like a launch was imminent, but this no longer seems to be the case.
Third-generation AirPods are expected to have a design similar to the AirPods Pro, including shorter stems, but no silicone tips or active noise cancellation, allowing for a lower price. Second-generation AirPods retail for $ 159 with a cable charging case or $ 199 with a wireless charging case, while AirPods Pro have $ 249.
Apple launched the second-generation AirPods in March 2019, followed by the Pro AirPods in October 2019.