Apple’s entry-level AirPods Pro nearing production, report says

By Nick Woodard Published April 25, 2023

The next iteration of the popular Apple AirPods Pro may be nearing the beginning of production, according to a new report.

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Taiwanese industry publication DigiTimes has published a paywalled report that claims an entry-level edition of the AirPods Pro will enter production between the end of the first quarter and start of the second quarter of 2020. Digital Trends has not been able to verify the claim directly. According to the report, the next AirPods Pro – tentatively being called the AirPods Pro Lite by the publication – could be hitting the production line around early to mid April.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Production of an entry-level version of Apple’s AirPods Pro, dubbed tentatively AirPods Pros Lite, is expected to kick off between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter, according to sources at chip and component suppliers engaged in the supply chain for the TWS device.”

It’s important to note that no official details have emerged about the earbuds, despite multiple reports recently about the next-generation AirPods Pro. We can assume they’ll blend some of the qualities of the Apple AirPods 2 with some of the benefits of the Apple AirPods Pro and fall somewhere in between the retail price of the AirPods 2 ($159) and the AirPods Pro ($250).

Could these new earbuds adopt the looks of the AirPods Pro, but come without active noise cancellation? Could they pack in enough features to rival the Samsung Galaxy Buds+, while maintaining a competitive price? Until Apple releases actual details about the “AirPods Pro Lite,” we can only speculate on the appearance and specifications of Apple’s next buds.

When official information does become available, we’ll update you with what we know.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

As an A/V Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Nick Woodard covers topics that include 4K HDR TVs, headphones…

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